User centric smart products prioritize the needs and preferences of users, enhancing their experience and satisfaction. Involving users in the design and assessment of smart products ensures that they meet real-world requirements, leading to more intuitive product design, user interface, and functionalities that truly resonate with users. Further, the capability of generating and evaluating many alternative designs early in product development is beneficial. However, the need to construct physical prototypes for user testing limits the number of designs that can be evaluated during early design stages. As such, our interest is in automated methods that support user centered design and usability and user experience assessment. In this review article, we look at at two decades of automation methods that have been employed in the design and development of user centric smart products. The focus of these automation methods is to incorporate user voice in early design stages rather than replacing the users. We have identified five key activities of the design cycle in which automated methods have been employed: design thinking, design ideation, prototype creation, user data collection for usability study, and user data analysis. Overall, 154 articles were identified across engineering, human-computer interaction, human factors, inclusive design, industrial design, and other disciplines that have incorporated automation methods to include the user’s voice in the design of user centric smart products. This review examines the effectiveness and limitations of different automation methods compared to conventional methods, offering valuable insights and suggestions to enhance the design processes of smart products with a focus on widespread usability issues. Our specific interest lies in developing assistive mobility and rehabilitation devices, where constraints such as limited development time and resources persist, yet the usability and user experience profoundly influence significant outcomes like perceived functionality, stigma, and device acceptance.