The Quiet Power of Product Curation
Standing on stage at Product at Heart 2025, looking out at 750 product minds from around the world, Arne and I shared something that had been weighing on us for months.
In a world where tech leaders openly question democratic values, where inclusive workplace policies can be undone with the click of a tweet, and where short-term thinking often overrides long-term care,we asked ourselves: What is our role as product people?
Earlier this year, Arne and I attended the House of Beautiful Business, where Tim Leberecht spoke about curation as a form of resistance—a quiet superpower in an age of overload and indifference.
That idea stayed with us. Because when we reflected on the day-to-day work of product people, we realized: This is what we do, constantly. We curate. We decide what gets built—and what gets left behind. We shape what gets attention, and what fades into the backlog. And yet, we rarely name it for what it is.
So when we stood on stage at Product at Heart, we knew: We needed to talk about curation.
Curation Is a Quiet Act of Resistance—and Care
Curation is an everyday act of resistance. Not the loud, performative kind. Not necessarily political. But the kind that pushes back—against indifference, haste, harm, or misalignment.
And in doing so, it creates space for care.
It’s the product manager who says:
“No, this dark pattern isn’t worth the extra conversion.”
“Yes, this edge case user matters.”
“Let’s slow down and define what good looks like here.”
It’s resisting a shady partnership by asking uncomfortable questions. It’s holding the line when everyone just wants to ship and move on. It’s advocating for privacy, transparency, and long-term trust—especially when no one’s watching.
These small acts often go unnoticed. But they matter. They shape how your team feels at work. They shape how your users are treated. They shape how your company shows up in the world.
Every Product Decision Is an Act of Curation
Every product manager is a curator—whether they realize it or not.
What features make it into the next release—and which don’t?
What gets prioritized, polished, promoted—or buried?
What do you monetize?
Who do you partner with—and what do they stand for?
What do you tolerate inside your org, and what do you question?
Each of these decisions reflects your values, intentionally or not. You’re not just shipping features. You’re shaping culture—one small decision at a time.
Your Conference Experience Is Curation, Too
This mindset doesn’t end with your roadmap. It’s present in how you learn, reflect, and share.
At Product at Heart, we asked our audience: “Your conference experience is your first act of curation. What will you take home?”
What will you choose to share with your team?
What conversations will you start?
What will you implement—and what will you leave behind?
Even that is curation. You’re shaping the version of the conference that lives on inside your company.
Share a framework centered on user empathy? → You curate for depth.
Advocate for discovery time over rushed delivery? → You curate for quality.
Push back on ethics-light decisions? → You curate for long-term trust.
This is how change happens. Not in sweeping revolutions, but in small, intentional acts.
One decision. One conversation. One curated moment at a time.
Let’s Curate Better Futures—Together
So let me leave you with the same question we posed to the Product at Heart community: How does what you're learning help you curate better futures?
Not just for your users—though that’s critical. But for your teammates. For your leaders.
For the communities who live with your product’s consequences every day.
Start small. Start today. Every feature you prioritize, every meeting you facilitate, every word you write is a chance to show care. A chance to push back. A chance to shape what’s next.
When Arne and I looked out at the crowd that day, we didn’t just see 750 attendees. We saw 750 curators.
Let’s use that power well and let’s curate courageously. Together.