To Succeed or Fail

For a product that succeeds in applying the guidelines of a targeted user group, I would like to look at the Polaris Ranger RZR. When anyone looks at this machine, the first thing they are going to perceive is that it is very sporty and rugged because of it's aggressive stance, the front end sitting slightly lower then the back, and that the working components are all visible. The RZR has a great balance front to back with the seating area having as much room in front as it does behind, and the top to bottom balance is slightly weighted towards the bottom, which gives the machine a lower center of gravity, giving it higher stability. The stress is seen in the way that the bottom half carries a lot of bulk in plastic covers and metal parts, while the top half is very light and airy. The front end of the machine definitely shows the more level end with it's solid flat edges and calm colors, while the rear end has a more sharp feel because it grabs your attention with it's bumpy surfaces and bold graphics. Even though there is a large area for the operator to enter and exit the cockpit, the mesh door panels keep the feeling that the body is solid and connected, while also being light and airy, contrasting the heavy feeling front and rear.

As for a similar product that I feel does not exemplify what a target user would want out of this type of product, I am looking at the Yamaha Rhino. When first seeing this machine, the perception is that it must be slow and unstable since it sits at a completely flat stance, giving it a meek attitude. The top to bottom balance looks a little skewed since the rider sits at about the midlevel of the vehicle, giving it a top heavy look and keeping the center of gravity high, making it appear unstable. The front to back balance is far heavier on the rear end, since it sticks out a lot further from the end of the tire then the front does. There is not much stress in the vehicle, everything is pretty much plastic covered and the same color, not leaving anything kept "untidy". This also weighs the level attributes higher then the sharp, since most of the vehicle is solid and flat, with the only variation being the ridges and polygonal cut outs on the door. There is little contrast in positive and negative since the doors cover up most of the small cut out, giving the machine a very boxy look.