Whether they do or don't read feedback is something I can't exactly comment on. Sometimes it really does look like they read it, sometimes it just looks like they elected to ignore it.

But about the topic of wanting the devs to provide data on the changes made. We did have them showing what they would do to the combat classes on Live Letters, but after some point in Stormblood, they just stopped doing that. The reason they gave us was because people were freaking out (paraphrasing btw) over the changes, making all sorts of assumptions and claiming it would break the class. And that would put pressure on the devs who got criticised before the changes were even implemented. From then on, the changelist would only ever be posted on the de-facto final Patch Notes as the patch dropped, and they've been vague about changes to the classes. Just "we're thinking of implementing this\changing that. You'll have to wait and find out how".

So right off the bat, this isn't a team that seems keen on presenting data. They were vague enough beforehand, but now player feedback usually being negative without getting the chance to play through their vision and making constructive feedback caused a further divide. And this is on the combat system alone. Sometimes they do have the department come in and explain their reasoning at the end of the Live Letter, but mostly for new types of content like PVP, housing or minigames.

And even if they did start doing it, the answers may not be satisfactory. A lot of people stuck for three years with Yoshida's answer that the way Hrothgar and Viera models were designed made implementing hairs too difficult. Yet on the very day he said it, I was already seeing people working with 3D models for videogames explain why it's not hard at all, with modders backing it up by saying they were already in the works of finishing mods to make it happen and that the models made it easier than it would be for some races. And right now that information is travelling around, with people dissecting exactly how these races are built, and modders explaining their process and showing their work. So all it takes is Yoshida being informed that "something cannot be done because of XYZ reasons", people will interject with "That's wrong".

And what I just said is only one of the cases that has led to people lately asking Square's departments to come forward and explain their method and reasoning. While it would be appreciated by fans for sure, Square already has some bad faith in giving out information like this. And they could just come in, say the exact same thing as before, be dismissive, be vague or potentially even lie and leave the room with no further comment. Which. in turn, would only cause further and further demand from players, as well as comments saying Square either didn't care or that people are incompetent all over again.

So as much as people may want it, I don't think we'll ever truly get it.