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Göteborgs universitet
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  4. Michael Heron

Michael Heron

Universitetslektor

Interaktionsdesign (IxD)
E-post
heronm@chalmers.se
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Lindholmsplatsen 1
417 56 Göteborg
Postadress
Box 100
412 96 Göteborg

Om Michael Heron

My primary research interests are in accessibility, computer games, and accessibility in computer games. I believe inclusivity in technology to be one of the most important elements for ensuring that all members of society can participate equally within the emerging digital economy, and that lack of access to technology can be stigmatizing, especially when considering younger individuals and entertainment technology. I am also interested in the accessibility of tabletop games which I see as being part of a growing convergence of tabletop games and video games into simply ‘games’. Linked to this is an ongoing interest in computer ethics, social responsibility, and professional issues. Much of my work in other areas includes a strong dose of ethic and moral investigation even when it is not the primary focus. I am also the site editor and main writer for , a board game blog focused on the accessibility of board games. You can read more about my interests and projects .

Publications:

  1. Heron, M.J, Belford, P. (2020). Authoritarianism and Anonymity: Continuing to explore the Scandal in Academia. Computers and Society 49(3). 19-27,
  2. Crabb, M., Heron, M. J., Jones, R., Armstrong, M., Reid, H., & Reid, A. (2019, in press). Developing Accessible Services: Understanding Current Knowledge and Areas for Future Support. In CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems Proceedings (CHI 2019), May 4–9, 2019, Glasgow, Scotland UK. ACM, New York, NY, USA,
  3. Crabb, M., Clarke, D., Alwaer, H., Heron, M. J., Laing, R. (2019, in press). Inclusive Design for Immersive Spaces. Proceedings of the 2019 European Academy of Design Conference. Forthcoming.
  4. Heron, M. J., Belford, P., Reid, H., Crabb, M. (2018). Meeple Centred Design – a Heuristic Toolkit for Evaluating the Accessibility of Tabletop Games. The Computer Games Journal, 7(2), 97-114. [Available online from ]
  5. Heron, M. J., Belford, P., Reid, H., Crabb, M. (2018). Eighteen Months of Meeple Like Us. An Exploration into the State of Board Game Accessibility. The Computer Games Journal, 7(2), 75-95. [Available online from
  6. Heron, M. J. (2018). The Things that Unite Us. The Computer Games Journal, 7(2), 45-47. [Available online from ]
  7. Heron, M.J., Belford, P. (2017). Disclosure and Disavowal: Professional Issues in the Scandal in Academia. Computers and Society. 47(4). 29-45. ACM, New York. [Available online from ]
  8. Heron, M. J. (2017). Pacman’s Canon in C#: A Quantum Interpretation of Video Game Canon. The Computer Games Journal, 6(3), 135-151. [Available online from ]
  9. Heron, M.J. (in press). Ethics in Computer 91̽»¨. In The Encyclopedia of Computer 91̽»¨ and Technology. Taylor and Francis, Oxford. Forthcoming.
  10. Tyack, C., Camic, P. M., Heron, M. J., & Hulbert, S. (2017). Viewing art on a tablet computer: A well-being intervention for people with dementia and their caregivers. Journal of applied gerontology, 36(7), 864-894. [available online from ]
  11. Heron, M.J., Belford, P. (2016b). The Quantified University: An Analysis of the Scandal in Academia. Computers and Society. 46 (3). pp28-44. ACM, New York. [Available online from ]
  12. Heron, M.J. (2016). Editorial: Cultural Integration and the Accessibility of Gaming. The Computer Games Journal. 5 (3). pp91-94. Springer: New York. [Available online from ].
  13. Heron, M.J. (2016). Ethical and Professional Complications in the Construction of Multi-Developer Hobbyist Games. The Computer Games Journal. Springer: New York. [Available online from ]
  14. Heron, M.J., Belford, P. (2016a). Musings on Misconduct: A Practitioner Reflection of the Ethical Investigation of Plagiarism within Programming Modules. Computers and Society. 45 (3). ACM, New York. pp438-444. [Available online from ]
  15. Heron, M.J., Belford, P. (2015d). Fuzzy Ethics: Or How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love the Bot. Computers and Society. 45(4). pp4-6. ACM, New York. [Available online from ]
  16. Heron, M.J., Belford, P. (2015c). A Practitioner’s Reflection on Teaching Computer Ethics with Case Studies and Psychology. Brooks’ eJournal of Learning and Teaching. 7 (1). Oxford Broooks, Oxford. [Available online at
  17. Heron, M.J., Belford, P. (2015b). Power and Perception in the Scandal in Academia. Computers and Society. 45 (2). ACM, New York. [Available online from ]
  18. Heron, M.J., Belford, P. (2015a). All of your Co-Workers are Gone: Story, Substance, and the Empathic Puzzler. The Journal of Games Criticism. 2 (1). United States. [Available online at ]
  19. Heron, M.J. (2015c). Review: Rachel Kowert, Thorsten Quandt (eds): The Video Game Debate — Unravelling the Physical, Social and Psychological Effects of Digital Games. The Computer Games Journal. 4 (3). pp187-188. Springer: New York. [Available online at ]
  20. Heron, M.J. (2015b). A Case Study Into the Accessibility of Text-Parser Based Interaction. The Seventh ACM SIGHCI Symposium on Engineering Interactive Computing Systems. Duisburg, Germany. [Available online at ].
  21. Heron, M.J. (2015a). Everybody’s Talking About Pop Music: the Evolution of the Cinematic Video Game. The Computer Games Journal. Springer: New York. [Available online from ]
  22. Pederson, S., Baxter, G., Burnett, S., MacLeod, I., Goker, A., Heron, M.J., Isaacs, J., Elyan, E., Kaliciak, L. (2015). Twitter response to televised political debates in Election 2015. In: D. Jackson and E. Thorsen, eds. UK Election Analysis 2015: Media, Voters and the Campaign; Early reflections from leading UK academics. Bournemouth: Centre for the Study of Journalism, Culture and Community, Bournemouth University. p. 73. [Available online at ]
  23. Heron, M.J., Belford, P., Goker, A. (2014). Sexism in the Circuitry: Female Participation in Male Dominated Popular Computer Culture. Computers and Society. 44 (4). ACM, New York. [Available online at ]
  24. Heron, M.J., Belford, P. (2014a). Ethics in Context: A Scandal in Academia. Computers and Society. 44 (2). ACM, New York. [Available online at ]
  25. Heron, M.J., Belford, P. (2014b). Do You Feel Like A Hero Yet? Externalised Morality in Video Games. The Journal of Game Criticism. 1(2). United States. [Available online at ]
  26. Heron, M.J., Belford, P. (2014c). It’s Only A Game: Ethics, Empathy and Identification in Game Morality Systems. The Computer Games Journal. 3(1). Scotland. [Available online at ]
  27. Spiel, K., Bertel, S., Heron, M.J. (2014). Navigation and Immersion of Blind Players in Text-Based Games. The Computer Games Journal 3 (2a). pp. 132-154. [Available online at l]
  28. Heron, M.J., Hanson, V.L, & Ricketts, I. (2013a). The Technical Design of the ACCESS Framework. The Fifth ACM SIGHCI Symposium on Engineering Interactive Computing Systems. London, England. [Available online at ]
  29. Townsend, J, Heron, M.J. (2013). Authorship and Autership in the Collaborative Development Process of Text-Based Games. Chercher le Text: Locating the Text in Electronic Literature. Paris, France. [Available online at ]
  30. Heron, M.J., Hanson, V.L, & Ricketts, I. (2013b). Accessibility Support for Older Adults with the ACCESS Framework. The International Journal of Human Computer Interaction. Seattle, Washington. [Available online at ]
  31. Heron, M.J., Hanson, V.L, & Ricketts, I. (2013c). Open Source and Accessibility: Advantages and Limitations. The Journal of Interaction 91̽»¨. 1(1). Cambridge, England. [Available online at ]
  32. Heron, M.J (2013). Likely to be Eaten by a Grue. The Computer Games Journal. 2(1), Scotland. [Available online at ]
  33. Vickers, S., Istance, H., Heron, M.J. (2013). Accessible Gaming for People with Physical and Cognitive Disabilities: A Framework for Dynamic Adaptation. Conference of Human Computer Interaction 2013. Seattle, Washington. [Available online at ]
  34. Heron, M.J (2012). Inaccessible Through Oversight: The Need for Inclusive Game Design. The Computer Games Journal 1(1). Glasgow, Scotland. [Available online at ]
  35. Heron, M.J., Hanson, V., & Ricketts, I. (2011). Accessibility Support with the ACCESS Framework. Digital Engagement ’11. Newcastle, United Kingdom.
  36. Heron, M.J. (2011). The ACCESS Framework: Reinforcement Learning for Accessibility and Cognitive Support for Older Adults (Doctoral dissertation). [Available online at ]
  37. Heron, M.J. & Bown, J. (2003). Searching Trait Space. Poster session presented at the European Conference on Artificial Life ’03. Dortmund, Germany.​

Various talks and things

​Here is a sampling of some talks and videos and the like that you might find interesting. Or even useful.

The Inaccessibility of Fun - A talk delivered for the New York Times on the topic of accessible puzzle design. [Available at ]

I'm a Fraud - The Signed Confessions of Dr. Michael James Heron - a seminar talk on imposter syndrome and why you need to give yourself a break. [Available at

Board Game Accessibility - A seminar w/ Pauline Belford at UKGE 2018. [Available at ]Some suggestions for accessible board games - Game Jam guidance. [Available at

Where Have All The Board Games Gone - Appearance on BBC Radio 4 regarding board game accessibility. [Available at

How Video Games Affect Real-World Morality - Apparance on BBC Social. [Available at ]