AXA
EmpathyLab

— Understand users with disabilities

The premise: reading about user needs is not enough. You have to feel them in your body, not just your mind.

I set up in partnership with AXA's inclusion mission a series of experiences to help AXA employees to better understand users with accessibility needs.

The format combined immersive "live in their shoes" experiences with collective reflection creating the kind of empathy that no slide deck can manufacture.

 

Mission
Service Design, Product Management, Inclusive Design

Year
2026

You can't design for people you haven't tried to understand.

The Empathy Lab originated as a UK initiative. I decided to scale it across France taking full ownership of the programme from concept to deployment.

I secured internal sponsorship, co-managed the purchase of all disability simulation equipment, drove the visual identity and all pedagogical materials, adapted the content for French audiences, and built the full booking and logistics system.

The programme was deployed across multiple external sites with a transport and delivery system coordinated end to end. I also ran an internal communication campaign to drive awareness and registrations: internal screens, print materials, newsletters, articles, and plenary sessions.

What started as a single session became a 360° programme embedded in the company's design culture and requested across departments.

270
participants
across all session

4.95
satisfaction
score /5

100%
would
recommend

70%
says it will impact
their future decision

Inclusive Design

  • visual impairment simulation glasses

    Visual impairment simulation glasses

  • arthritis simulation glove

    Arthritis simulation glove

  • Person facing a situation of visual impairment

  • Scenario and do's / don't' sheets

  • Director facing the braille legos

  • Teasing in the customer room

  • Co-creation workshop with the UK team

  • Kakemono and visual identity

  • TV screen ads

  • Co-animation

  • Mission Inclusion sponsor

  • Collaborators facing daltonism, ADHD, dyslexia...

  • « Without this workshop, it is impossible to understand what this truly represents. »

    — Participant

  • « Now I understand why we invest in accessibility.»

    — Participant

  • « Nothing is more effective than raising awereness though an immersive experience.»

    — Participant

  • « I discovered that my knowledge about certain disabilities was completely wrong.»

    — Participant

  • « Beautiful practical exercises with quality guidance.»

    — Participant

  • « Very experiential, we understant it in our very being.»

    — Participant

  • «Very intersting and educational immersive experience. The awareness objective is fully achieved for me.»

    — Participant

  • « Interesting to think about what we can do in our daily productions.»

    — Participant

  • « Very insightful about the accessibility difficulties. In line with AXA's corporate culture (Care).»

    — Participant

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