Eight habits of Config talks people actually remember
As Figma opens the call for speaker proposals for Config 2025, we asked some of last year’s standout speakers which sessions stuck with them — and why. Their answers form a practical checklist for anyone crafting a talk that will linger long after the applause.
Bet against best practice
Wordle creator Josh Wardle’s talk is a masterclass in flipping assumptions. He built a web-based game that deliberately limited play to once per day and didn’t link back to itself when shared — the opposite of mobile-first growth tactics. The talk resonated because it was built as a gesture for one person, not a play for virality. “It’s a refreshing reminder that you don’t have to follow conventional wisdom to create something millions love,” said Apple Design Evangelist Linda Dong. “Even in our metrics-obsessed industry, sometimes simplicity and creativity are enough.”
Linear’s Head of Product Nan Yu found a similar thread in the conversation between teenage engineering founder Jesper Kouthoofd and Figma CEO Dylan Field: “It was great to see how you can build amazing products driven by vibes and taste instead of metrics.”
Make collaboration the story
Talks that spotlight teamwork across roles land hard. Replit’s former Product Design Manager Barron Webster was struck by Ableton’s Oliver Sommermann and Pablo Sánchez, who walked through how they figured out custom touch interactions in Ableton Note as a team. “They emphasized the contributions of all the different team members (not just designers),” Barron said. Mike Stern, also an Apple Design Evangelist, praised the duo’s candor: they demonstrated “how teamwork benefits when people are allowed to pursue their passions, develop new skills, play and experiment, and given trust and responsibility.”
Give people a handle to hold
Peter Yang, Product Lead at Roblox, structured his talk around 10 practical tactics for product managers to craft products they’re proud of. The numbered framework covers building with community and using AI as a “helpful intern.” A clear list gives the audience something to follow, remember, and apply — and lets the speaker pair each point with a concrete example. Balancing high-level concepts with actionable tips is what makes the structure work.
Keep the human in frame
In an era of rehearsed polish, raw authenticity stood out. Divinate Co-founder Tregg Frank noticed the thread across sessions from the Browser Company, New Computer’s Dot, Reginé Gilbert’s talk on the design renaissance, Joyce Croft on design as therapy, and Jiaona Zhang on building for Gen Z. “The common thread is that everyone wants more authenticity,” he said. Barron saw it in Zulhilmi Icksan’s talk on using pigeons to optimize emergency rooms — a story about building in the public sector where even changing messaging tone produced measurable impact. “Policy doesn’t have to be impossible to change,” Barron said.
Bring news from the frontier
Claire Vo’s “Hard truths about the future of product management” sparked conversation by naming an emerging archetype: the “Super IC,” a senior individual contributor driving product innovation without managing large teams. The role is often invisible in company structures. “Despite their presence in many companies already, [these] roles are seldom discussed publicly,” said Cemre Güngör, Product Manager at The Browser Company. The talk paired sharp analysis with practical advice for an era where generative AI is shifting how software gets built.
Nan Yu’s “The heirloom tomato org chart” took on another undiscussed topic: company structure. Instead of accepting rigid hierarchies, Nan offered a more organic model built around adaptability and focused execution. “No one wants to ship an org chart, but as companies grow it begins to feel inevitable,” said Humane’s George Kedenburg III. The talk “provides a very fresh take on a traditionally boring topic.”
Sweat the details
A talk is a rare license to go deep. Figma Design Director Marcin Wichary spent countless hours researching the history of the pixel for his talk. “I just can’t fathom how many hours went into researching, crafting, and honing this talk,” said Stern. Figma Design Manager Jenny Wen describes such deep dives differently: “There are no three top takeaways. He just leaves you with a feeling of hope and wonder for technology.” Barron saw the same quality in Jessica Hische’s talk, citing her “optical corrections for stroke angle based on height” as a highlight — proof that nerdy specifics land when delivered with passion.
Sketch the future, don’t just read trends
Uses your expertise to project where the industry is heading. Reginé Gilbert’s talk did that for the Browser Company’s Karla Mickens Cole and Nashilu Mouen: “It reminded us that we should still continue to challenge what we see, especially in a world of AI-driven content.” They also liked the discussion between Humane’s George Kedenburg III and co-founder Imran Chaudhri about the Ai Pin, which centered on the question they were asking rather than the product itself.
Exit with a residue
The best talks don’t end so much as hand off a question, or a charge, to the audience — a new lens on your work, a tool you should try on Monday, or a feeling of optimism. Kedenburg described finishing the session on the Eames legacy — a conversation between Figma’s Amber Bravo and Eames Institute Chief Curator Llisa Demetrios that covered prototyping, curiosity, and process — “amped about the power of design.” That’s the goal: “Let this talk re-energize you about all the possibilities design has to offer the world.”
What it takes to land a Config talk
Looking back at Config 2024, certain talks stood out not just for their content, but for how they were crafted. The pattern isn’t magic — it’s a repeatable set of principles. If you’re considering a proposal for Config 2025, these are the qualities that separate a good submission from a great one:
Start with a sharp, personal thesis. The strongest speakers didn’t try to cover everything. They identified a single, specific idea they cared deeply about and built their narrative around it. A clear point of view is more memorable than a broad survey.
Show, don’t just tell. The best talks were built around live demos and concrete walkthroughs. Abstract advice is forgettable; watching a workflow break and get fixed is not. If your talk can demonstrate a real process, do that.
Prioritize story over slides. Effective speakers used their decks as a backdrop, not a crutch. They structured talks like stories — with tension, a turning point, and a resolution. The audience is there to hear you think, not to read your slides.
Design for the room. Figma’s conference draws thousands, but the best presentations felt intimate. Speakers who made eye contact, varied their pace, and used silence well commanded more attention than those who rushed through a list.
Make it actionable. The talks that got reposted and referenced were the ones that left attendees with something they could use on Monday morning — a new shortcut, a mental model, a different approach to a nagging problem.
Practice with real feedback. Many of the most polished speakers mentioned rehearsing in front of critical peers, filming themselves, and paring down their content ruthlessly. The resulting clarity was evident.
Be authentic about failure. The most engaging moments were not perfect retrospectives. Speakers who admitted what broke, what they’d gotten wrong, and what they’d do differently earned credibility and connection.
Respect the audience’s time. Strong talks ended on time, wrapped up cleanly, and left room for reflection — no rushed endings, no trailing off. The discipline of a tight finish elevates everything that came before it.
These aren’t just tips for speakers; they’re the qualities that made Config 2024 a touchstone for product development. And they’re exactly what we’re hoping to see from the next round of voices.
Applications for Config 2025 are open through December 13 — you can submit a proposal via the Config website. Whether your background is in design, engineering, or product management, if you have a point of view and a process to share, there’s a stage for you.
If you missed any of this year’s sessions, Config 2024 talks are available on demand. Go back through them, study what stuck, and start sketching out the talk you’d want to see on stage next year. 
