Traditional design approaches have been accused of failing to engage with users in the design process: compromising commercial opportunity and the interactional experience of users. Alternatively, a participatory design approach was applied to the generation of ideas for new product opportunities in the active wheelchair user market and to the initial stages of a European project aiming to develop an intelligent mobility aid for older people. Users were acutely aware of problems with existing technology or designs, and including them during early discussion and design stages was shown to facilitate new concept generation. This highly transferable approach enhances the user experience and commercial potential of products and services, and will be of interest to product manufacturers, designers, and researchers, alike. •We investigate how traditional design approaches evaded user-involvement.•We observe the effects of user centred design on two European projects.•Real users are acutely aware of problems with existing designs and technology.•Insight acquisition can drive product differentiation, user experience and commercialisation streams.