new version of O365 home page?

I think what we are all looking for is this:

https://m365.cloud.microsoft/apps

As I could not find the words to express what I truly felt about the forced change of the Office365 home page to a Copilot home page, I thought I'd ask Copilot (A Microsoft product) what it thought about this from an AccessAbility perspective, shame the MS design team didn't think of this before they forced this change on everyone.

My request to Copilot:

"Please explain why switching the Microsoft 365 homepage for a Copilot homepage and taking away references to everyday applications, favourites and links to items that people use everyday, is detrimental to accessibility."

Copilot's response:

Switching the Microsoft 365 homepage to a Copilot-centric homepage and removing references to everyday applications, favorites, and frequently used links can be detrimental to accessibility for several key reasons:

1. Disruption of Familiar Navigation Patterns

• Consistency is critical for users with cognitive disabilities or those who rely on muscle memory and routine.
• Removing familiar elements like app icons (e.g., Outlook, Word, Excel), pinned documents, and quick links forces users to relearn navigation, which can be disorienting and time-consuming.

2. Increased Cognitive Load

• A Copilot-focused interface may prioritize AI-driven suggestions or prompts over clear, static navigation.
• Users must now interpret dynamic content or engage in natural language queries, which can be mentally taxing, especially for users with neurodivergent conditions or limited digital literacy.

3. Reduced Efficiency for Power Users

• Many users rely on favorites and recent files to quickly resume work. Removing these shortcuts introduces friction and slows down workflows.
• This is especially problematic in enterprise environments where time and efficiency are critical.

4. Accessibility Technology Compatibility

• Screen readers and other assistive technologies are often optimized for predictable, structured layouts.
• A Copilot interface that emphasizes conversational AI may not present content in a way that is easily parsed by these tools, leading to reduced usability for visually impaired users.

5. Loss of Personalization

• The previous homepage allowed users to customize their experience with pinned apps and documents.
• Removing this personalization can make the interface feel generic and less relevant, especially for users who depend on tailored setups to accommodate specific needs.

6. Barrier to Entry for Less Tech-Savvy Users

• Not all users are comfortable with or understand how to interact with AI assistants.
• Replacing intuitive icons and links with a Copilot interface can alienate users who prefer traditional UI elements.

Summary

In essence, this change prioritizes innovation over inclusivity. While Copilot offers powerful capabilities, removing core accessibility features like consistent navigation, quick access to tools, and personalized content undermines the usability of the platform for a broad range of users.

Would you like help drafting a formal accessibility impact statement or feedback document on this topic?

Agreed, we've only loss functionality and gained extra steps. Please at least provide users the option to decide for themselves what they need. This is design thinking 101. You've totally designed a solution for a problem that didn't exist.

This is a terrible update. So many changes and It feels like users aren't even given time to adjust to the previous way of working.

I, too, think the new homepage is awful. When I log into Microsoft 365, all I want to do is open outlook, and maybe a recently opened doc. Unless there's a way to program copilot to open tabs for me, I don't find this new homepage layout useful at all.