If I were making this decision, or the decision about what should come next, I would be trying to create quantative evidence about what works and doesn't work to inform the choice. I didn't see that in the article.
I wouldn't. That kind of user testing is extremely time consuming, and often pointless because it's obvious what works and what doesn't.
Google famously did silly amounts of AB testing on button colours and whatnot, but material design is much better than any of that achieved and that was just fine by getting some good graphic designers and thinking about it.
Material design sucks - it's like Communism - (not saying you do this) as soon as someone points out flaws in it, the argument is "that's not real material design" !
> Design and test your work with real people. Observe behaviour and gather evidence. Work with subject experts and existing research. Do not rely on hunches.
