A better approach to progression in Minecraft

I believe that the progression itself cannot be altered, but what could be changed is the use of materials. Normally, once you have obtained at least three iron ingots, stone is phased out, serving only for construction purposes. The same applies to iron itself; it becomes obsolete once you obtain diamonds. I think it would be a good idea not to add another mob or decorative block in future updates, but rather to rethink Minecraft’s mechanics. One example would be making the Blast Furnace an essential step in smelting raw iron. Also, rails and minecarts could be made relevant again by nerfing elytra or by allowing them to be connected to transport materials more efficiently than other methods.
In real life, stone, wood, iron, copper and other minerals were never abandoned because of the discovery of new materials, least of all in the Middle Ages or the Modern Era.