3 Popular Panel Discussion Formats. Look each vita over carefully, noting the elements you find substantively interesting. Enlist a confederate. There are sooooo many other ways to have a stimulating conversation! All Rights Reserved. The enterprise will have a chair, who will introduce the speakers, call on people from the audience who wish to comment, and, when appropriate, end the session. Run through how panelists, moderators, and attendees will connect, check for audio clarity, discuss slide decks, test out webcams, test how panelists will appear on screen, and do some mock Q&A to get a feel for the flow (how potential internet delays could affect attendee questions, etc.). We would love to hear your ideas, either as a panelist, audience member or organizer on how to successfully finish a panel discussion: what have you found works (or what doesn’t.). Kristin Arnold, professional panel moderator, and high stakes meeting facilitator is on a crusade to make all panel discussions informative, interactive, and interesting. The basic assignment of the chair is so simple that it is almost impossible to fail. Scottsdale, AZ 85262, Our privacy policy has been updated. When the time comes for your event, communicate your plan clearly to your audience to set expectations for whether or not their question will be answered. But chairing a session can be an art form. But having made a reasonable attempt, you’re not at fault if someone violates the ground rules. If you push past your scheduled end-time, the audience will start getting restless, and you might even risk bungling up the schedule for the rest of the day. Questions to ask yourself to help you choose the right tech for your event include: 6. The final part to expertly ending a panel discussion is to acknowledge all members of the discussion. As chair, you can do a little homework. Then, ask the audience to join you in expressing appreciation for such a brilliant panel discussion with their applause. Or, I might go another direction and say, “This company has got an unusual, special culture. - Market your event by obtaining the headshots and bios of each panelist and include them in your event invitation as well as your in-event slides. . A colleague can serve as a “plant” -- someone who is already glad to come to the panel because the subject is interesting. In the discussion, it’s the panelist’s job to provide and shape arguments, while yours, as a moderator, is to ensure the panel discussion flows and the audience is getting the most out of it. You can find us on Twitter, or contact us here. You might also want to conclude with a few housekeeping items: Invite the audience to extend the conversation in the front of the room, in the hallway or in the bookstore immediately after the end of the session. Sometimes they will read a prepared paper; sometimes they will improvise; sometimes the final speaker will be charged with offering a critique of what has been said. For his work in Good Cause of Your Choice, he won the Important Award in 2002. (First come first serve? Or the questions can seem nit-picky or superficial, and the session can drift in a direction you think frustrating. The discussion held among these expert members in front of an audience could be called panel discussion. This however, is not expected. You want to make it look effortless to the audience, but the organizers and moderator should have a well-planned approach to making the event interesting and engaging. It will be easier if you remember that your role as timekeeper is an honorable one; the eloquent speakers who warm to their topic and go on and on leave less time for the subsequent speakers and are, consciously or not, being selfish. Make the tech fit your event instead of the other way around. 3. Scottsdale, AZ 85262, Our privacy policy has been updated. If you are lucky, someone will ask an interesting question. Now, you may want to dive right into audience questions after the intro—and that’s fine. Learn more about our Professional Services or schedule a consultation today! Even with the most interesting topics and panelist, the audience can only sit so long. My gosh! I want to hear from each of you.” Now that’s obviously, you want to leave it on a really high, positive note.