  Traditional approaches to human-robot interaction design typically examine
robot behaviors in controlled environments and narrow tasks. These methods are
impractical for designing robots that interact with diverse user groups in
complex human environments. Drawing from the field of theater, we present the
construct of scenes -- individual environments consisting of specific people,
objects, spatial arrangements, and social norms -- and tangible scenography, as
a holistic design approach for human-robot interactions. We created a design
tool, Tangible Scenography Kit (TaSK), with physical props to aid in design
brainstorming. We conducted design sessions with eight professional designers
to generate exploratory designs. Designers used tangible scenography and TaSK
components to create multiple scenes with specific interaction goals,
characterize each scene's social environment, and design scene-specific robot
behaviors. From these sessions, we found that this method can encourage
designers to think beyond a robot's narrow capabilities and consider how they
can facilitate complex social interactions.
