Abstract: We present a method for the numerical investigation of the electron dynamics in small metallic clusters in intense laser fields. We obtain information about collective excitations and relaxation processes in the Na₉⁺ and Pt₃ clusters analyzing the power spectrum of the dipole moment within a mean-field approach. The power spectrum is computed for various laser pulse parameters as well as for the limit of an infinitely short laser pulse. Due to the basis set expansion of the wave function our method is capable to follow the dynamics not only of the whole electron cloud, but of any particular molecular orbital.