Abstract
Despite several calls for a more systematic integration of User-Centred Design and Agile development methodologies, no satisfactory agreement has been found yet. We articulate three breakdowns that may occur when integrating these two software engineering approaches, namely a variable interpretation of user involvement, a mismatch in the value of documentation, and a misalignment in iterations. These themes emerged from theoretical grounding as part of action research in a case study where UCD and Agile were integrated to develop mobile applications for a user community. We discuss attempted strategies for improving community involvement alongside the evolution of the project team, composed of developers, designers, users, and customers. We finally suggest ways to promote a receptive organisational culture for the integration of UCD and Agile, drawing inspiration from participatory design and design thinking, retaining the richness of community voice, and effectively timing the combination of the two methodologies.