Purpose: Teaching effectiveness is essential to student learning, engagement and success. This study aims to identify the perceived teaching effectiveness attributes from the student's perspective through a pilot study. Design/methodology/approach: A comprehensive literature review identified 6 demographic and 25 teaching effectiveness characteristics. The Kano model was used to gather and analyze the student's voices. The research validated the survey instrument using Cronbach's alpha to ensure internal consistency and Chi-square goodness of fit to test the data distribution. Differences in response patterns were analyzed using Fisher's exact test. Furthermore, the magnitude of the effect between the teaching effectiveness attributes was determined using Cramer's V test. Findings: This study determined that students perceived 19 attributes as one-dimensional, 3 as indifferent, 2 as attractive and 1 as one-dimensional and attractive. The analysis found differences in response patterns concerning readings and materials, grading rubrics to set assignment expectations and group/teamwork on projects. Research limitations/implications: As a pilot study, the sample size was small. Additional research should validate the survey using a larger sample. While the study results are specific to the college surveyed, other educators can use the methodology to identify the attributes important to their students. Practical implications: Categorizing attributes based on the student's voice enables instructors to focus on attributes that will improve the learning experience. Originality/value: This research provides a comprehensive methodology for identifying critical teaching effectiveness attributes from the student's perspective.