Involving Users In The Product Development Of SMEs Petteri Repo National Consumer Research Centre Helsinki Finland Telephone +358 400 737 968 Fax +358 9 7726 7715 E-mail petteri.repo@ncrc.fi Eva Heiskanen National Consumer Research Centre Helsinki Finland Telephone +358 7726 7735 Fax +358 9 7726 7715 E-mail eva.heiskanen@ncrc.fi Tanja Kotro National Consumer Research Centre Helsinki Finland Telephone +358 7726 7703 Fax +358 9 7726 7715 E-mail tanja.kotro@ncrc.fi Abstract One potential source of risk in product development is its distance from users. This risk is particularly apparent in small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) which have limited resources to carry out tailored user studies. Additionally, mechanisms that support the adoption of innovations in business-to-business markets are less prevalent in business-to- consumer markets. We attempt to develop practices for user involvement in the product development of SMEs. In particular, we have carried out four exercises in user involvement. These exercises were carried out together with SMEs that aim to commercialize automatic speech recognition services, a mobile blogging service for tourists, a hybrid media product for volunteer communities, and a learning news reader service. In the exercises, we first wanted users to gain experiences of the service under development. This meant that users were involved by using a service prototype in three exercises and by participating in the development of product concepts in one exercise. Then we collected feedback from users and helped the product development team to reflect the feedback to the service in question. Product developers were present at all stages of the exercises. The results of the exercises are encouraging. Small-scale, timely user involvement contributed usability and functionality improvements, input on how to enhance the utility and