Flag

We stand with Ukraine and our team members from Ukraine. Here are ways you can help

Get exclusive access to thought-provoking articles, bonus podcast content, and cutting-edge whitepapers. Become a member of the UX Magazine community today!

Home ›› Business Value and ROI ›› 6 Key Questions to Guide International UX Research ›› Design for Experience: Innovative Research Technique

Design for Experience: Innovative Research Technique

by UX Magazine Staff, Design for Experience
2 min read
Share this post on
Tweet
Share
Post
Share
Email
Print

Save

A closer look at the Design for Experience awards category: Innovative Research Technique

One of the most popular articles we’ve published over the past couple of years was about a research method developed in Japan in the 1980s.

Named for the man who developed it, Noriaki Kano, the Kano Model offers a method for measuring the emotional reactions customers have to individual features of a product or service.

“We uncovered the Kano Model while researching ways to measure delight,” Jan Moorman writes in her article, “Leveraging the Kano Model for Optimal Results.” She continues:

Back in 1984, Noriaki Kano, a Japanese academic and consultant, disagreed with the then accepted theories on retaining customer loyalty: by addressing customer complaints and extending the most popular features. Kano intuited that retaining loyalty was far more complicated [so] he did what all researchers do: defined hypotheses and devised a study to substantiate these theories.

The agency Moorman was working for at the time translated Kano’s original paper from Japanese, discussed its merits, and modified it to suit their testing needs. Moorman’s article offers an in-depth look at the Kano Model and how they used it, and arrives at the concusion: “Our modified version of the Kano Method has become a reliable tool to assist in answering our client’s strategic questions about where to invest their design and development resources, impacting both their success and bottom line. It’s always rewarding to see clients become excited about research.”

While there’s striking consistency in the user research techniques UX practitioners use, Moorman demonstrates that there are always opportunities for tweaking existing techniques to great success. There are also altogether new methods being devised with the power to bolster research. The DfE Innovative Research Technique award is aimed at new or improved user research techniques that can benefit experience design.

If you know of agencies, companies, or teams that are devising new research methods or improving on previous methods, nominate them. If you think that your agency/company/team deserves DfE recognition, apply for this award right now!

Image of blank cards courtesy Shutterstock

 

post authorUX Magazine Staff

UX Magazine Staff
UX Magazine was created to be a central, one-stop resource for everything related to user experience. Our primary goal is to provide a steady stream of current, informative, and credible information about UX and related fields to enhance the professional and creative lives of UX practitioners and those exploring the field. Our content is driven and created by an impressive roster of experienced professionals who work in all areas of UX and cover the field from diverse angles and perspectives.

post authorDesign for Experience

Design for Experience

The core mission of Design For Experience (DfE) is to fuel the growth, improvement, and maturation in the fields of user-centered design, technology, research, and strategy. We do this through a number of programs, but primarily through our sponsorship of UX Magazine, which connects an audience of approximately 100,000+ people to high-quality content, information, and opportunities for professional improvement.

Tweet
Share
Post
Share
Email
Print

Related Articles

Designing for AI? Know what your agent can actually do. This guide breaks down the four core capabilities every UX designer must understand to build smarter, safer, and more user-centered AI experiences.

Article by Greg Nudelman
Secrets of Agentic UX: Emerging Design Patterns for Human Interaction with AI Agents
  • The article examines how UX designers can effectively work with AI agents by understanding the four key capability types that shape agent behavior and user interaction.
  • It emphasizes the importance of evaluating an AI agent’s perception, reasoning, action, and learning abilities early in the design process to create experiences that are realistic, ethical, and user-centered.
  • The piece provides practical frameworks and examples — from smart home devices to healthcare bots — to help designers ask the right questions, collaborate cross-functionally, and scope AI use responsibly.
Share:Secrets of Agentic UX: Emerging Design Patterns for Human Interaction with AI Agents
10 min read

Design systems were meant to streamline design and boost creativity — so why do they often do the opposite?

Article by Itai Vonshak
The Broken Promises of Design Systems: Why Following the Rules Won’t Get You to Great Products
  • The article questions whether design systems really help create better products.
  • It explains how they often limit creativity, are hard to maintain, and don’t scale well.
  • It suggests we need more flexible, AI-powered tools to support great design.
Share:The Broken Promises of Design Systems: Why Following the Rules Won’t Get You to Great Products
3 min read

If we can automate a 787, why not an entire company? Discover how conversational AI and intelligent ecosystems are reshaping the future of work.

Article by Robb Wilson
You Can Automate a 787 — You Can Automate a Company
  • The article explores how automating a plane cockpit led to deeper insights about business automation.
  • It shows how conversational AI and agent-based systems can reduce cognitive load and improve decision-making.
  • It argues that organizations need intelligent ecosystems — not just tools like ChatGPT — to thrive in the age of automation.
Share:You Can Automate a 787 — You Can Automate a Company
8 min read

Join the UX Magazine community!

Stay informed with exclusive content on the intersection of UX, AI agents, and agentic automation—essential reading for future-focused professionals.

Hello!

You're officially a member of the UX Magazine Community.
We're excited to have you with us!

Thank you!

To begin viewing member content, please verify your email.

Tell us about you. Enroll in the course.

    This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Check our privacy policy and