Social Robot Co-Design Canvases
Futurice, 2018-2021
Role: Design lead
All of the canvases are available on Github and Open Science Framework.
The Problem
I took initiative in designing co-design canvases for the creation of social robots. I discovered the problem of lack of these tools during my master’s thesis. The canvases aim to solve the problems of:
- Enabling co-design
- Involving experts of different domains by bringing a common language into robotics
- Structuring the design process into logical parts
- Making explicit design decisions (questioning assumptions)
- Enabling ethical considerations before building a solution
The canvases follow the process of first defining the problem space, after which design guidelines are created, which project the qualities of the problem space onto the solution space, in order to ensure purposeful design.

The basic structure of the framework.
The canvases can be used to think about social robot design problems, to design an entirely new robot, or to modify or select an existing robot to answer a particular problem.
The Solution
I created a series of 8 canvases, which can be printed out and used in co-creation sessions. The canvases are grouped as follows:
Phase 1: Problem space
- 01: Problem space of designing a social robot
- 02: Ethical considerations of a social robot
Phase 2: Design guidelines
- 03: Design guidelines of the robot
Phase 3: Solution space
- 05: Environment of the robot
- 06: Form of the robot
- 07: Interaction of the robot
- 08: Behaviour of the robot
If the group has only very little time, the four solution space canvases can be replaced with the canvas
- 04: MVP of the robot
referring to Minimum Viable Product, although this canvas is recommended for playful use only.
Additionally, the following canvases can be used to design more in-depth.
- 09: Service ecosystem of the robot
- 10: Experience flow of the robot
Instructions for canvas use. Open in new tab for best visibility.
Sessions can be structured in two ways:
- Individuals have 10 minutes to consider their own thoughts on the canvas first, after which they can collaborate and discuss their thoughts for 10 minutes.
- Teams can collaborate simultaneously for 10-25 minutes per canvas.
Choosing the method depends on the time slot available. In order for everyone to be able to participate more easily, the first method is usually preferred. Canvases should be used in an iterative manner, and to explore each iteration of the robot as it is being created.
The canvases can also be used independently for building and analyzing robots.

Problem Space is the first canvas.

Six ethical considerations are implemented within the framework.
The Outcome
The canvases were used to design a robot for library guidance, and a gaming robot for teens. They have also been used in further research.
The canvases have been used in workshops with interested people across domains, in order to help them learn about the emerging technology of social robots, to demystify the sometimes negative media connotations of robotics, and to help in considering important ethical questions.
Some feedback form participants:
- “Useful to approach the problem from different angles, using each group member’s different skills to think of new ideas and concepts”
- “The canvas helps to enhance one’s own imagination, bringing forth ideas that the group would have probably not come up with otherwise.”
- “The canvases helped keep to the process, helped the group stay focused.”
- “I enjoyed thinking about the ethical questions, it’s good to think about them. In a way it reveals some of my own biases.”
Introducing the canvases at the technology conference Mindtrek in Tampere, Finland.
Tools
Service design, user insight, expert insight, thematic analysis, graphic design (Adobe Illustrator)
Social Robot Co-Design Canvases (SoRoCo Canvases) by Minja Axelsson is licensed under a Creative Commons Attributions-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0) license. Sponsored by Futurice.
Cite as:
Axelsson, M., Oliveira, R., Racca, M., & Kyrki, V. (2021). Social robot co-design canvases: A participatory design framework. ACM Transactions on Human-Robot Interaction (THRI), 11(1), 1-39.
A journal article on the canvases has been published in ACM Transactions on Human-Robot Interaction. Please contact the authors for a copy. This is currently the fourth most read publication in THRI, and I was invited to give a presentation on the canvases at the Human-Robot Interaction conference (ACM/IEEE) in 2023.

Workshop with YLE, the Finnish national broadcasting company.