About
I am a Lecturer (Teaching and Research) in the School of Computing and Creative Technologies, University of the West of England (UWE), Bristol.
My research focuses on accessible interactive systems, exploring how people with low vision engage with visual media such as art, and how technologies such as augmented reality can support this in real-world settings.
I am a Fellow of AdvanceHE (FHEA), and my teaching emphasises inclusive design, applied software engineering, and collaborative learning.
Background
Before joining UWE, I was a Teaching Associate at the School of Computer Science and Informatics, Cardiff University. During this time, I served as the inaugural Lead Teaching Associate. I represented a team of 28 Teaching Associates at senior meetings including School Board and student experience panels. This work focused on collaboration, teaching development, and inclusive practice. My contributions were recognised with an Outstanding Contribution Award in 2023.
Before entering academia, I spent over a decade in industry across software engineering, technical support, and service delivery roles in organisations including BT, Cegedim Rx, Positive Solutions, and TELUS Agriculture. I worked across the full software development lifecycle, including development, testing, debugging, release processes, and post-deployment support. My technical experience includes cloud systems, web services, and Agile development, alongside hands-on work with modern stacks such as Azure.
Alongside technical delivery, my work has consistently focused on people. I have led and supported teams of up to 30 people, coached colleagues at different career stages, and designed and delivered structured training programmes across multiple organisations. These programmes brought together subject experts, and I coordinated their continual review and improvement to ensure relevance and impact.
In service-focused roles, I worked closely with users to understand real-world problems and improve customer experience. This included deep investigation of complex software issues, identifying root causes, and working collaboratively with developers to resolve them. At Positive Solutions, I led the introduction of ITIL practices, bringing incident and problem management processes into the business for the first time, and enabling meaningful reporting. This resulted in the identification and then significant reduction in the top three recurring issues within the first six months of the first reports.
This combination of technical and people-focused experience directly informs both my research and teaching. My work is grounded in understanding user needs, designing practical and inclusive solutions, and supporting others to develop their skills in meaningful, real-world contexts.
Research and Teaching
Collaboration
I welcome collaboration with:
- academic researchers in accessibility, HCI, and digital heritage
- museums and galleries interested in inclusive visitor experiences
- industry partners working on AR, accessibility, or cultural technology
Please feel free to get in touch: paul3.goddard@uwe.ac.uk