Within the iClass (Integrated Project 507922) and Enhanced Learning Experience and Knowledge Transfer (ELEKTRA; Specific Targeted Research or Innovation Project 027986) European projects, the author was requested to harness his pedagogical knowledge to the production of educational adaptive systems. The article identifies and documents the pitfalls of such interdisciplinary joint work. It suggests that the pedagogical added value of adaptive tools is more likely to be found in the support of human decision making regarding personalization strategies, autonomy development and metacognitive training than in the provision of highly technical automatic customization devices. (Contains 3 notes.)