What is Panel Discussion?

The panels are a chance for thought leaders to engage industry thought leaders in a dialogue relating to the industry’s current topics. Each panellist will generally disagree with the others on subjects. That creates a well-balanced discussion of exciting issues for a broad audience. In a panel discussion, there are no clear winners or losers. Instead, the audience is the winner of receiving a well-rounded view on industry issues.

Panel Discussion Definition

It is a specific format for a meeting conference or a convention. It’s an “up close and personal” conversation between the panellists and viewers. It is a story that can’t be found on the internet. Let’s dive into the definition of the panel discussion: Alive, in-person, or virtual discussion of a specialized topic. The goal of a Panel Discussion is for the individual panel-holder to share and give input to gain real value to their audiences and takeaways. The panel discussion is a new way of learning. The panel discussion has an in-depth conversation between panel members that allows the audience to ask questions or share their thoughts on the topic being discussed.

Panel Discussion Format

The panel discussion format is designed to have a dialogue between the panelists and the audience/viewers. The panelist’s job: Prove they are worth listening to by answering all types of questions, including tough ones from other panel members in an unscripted environment (no bullet points). It’s a panel discussion, not a panel monologue. Each panelist must find an equal balance between listening and talking during the panel discussion. The goal is to dialogue with other panelists on stage and the audience in the room or watching online. Using open-ended questions like “So what would you say?” can help start meaningful panel discussion conversations.

Panel Discussion in Action

Examples of panel discussions include:

• TED Talk events.

• UpWorthy’s Open Forum series.

• Panels at SXSW Interactive.

• Conferences like Play.

Panel discussions are usually a roundtable conversation between panellists and the audience, with panel members offering their thoughts on specific topics. This format allows for discussion among participants as well as questions from the panel’s viewing audience.

Panel Discussion Conversation

A panel discussion conversation requires that panellists share their opinions (not facts) about topics within their expertise, listen actively to other panel members and ask questions when necessary to keep conversations going. The panel discussion is a format for panel meetings used as part of an event or conference to moderate the conversation between panel members and viewers/attendees. Each panellist will generally disagree with others on subjects, but that creates a well-balanced discussion of interesting topics for the broad audience. In this panel, there are no clear winners or losers. Instead, the panel discussion is a new way of learning, and the audience is the winner getting to hear well-rounded views on industry issues.

What is the primary purpose of a panel discussion?

Panel discussions can be used as part of events with more speakers who compete to win an award for being right. In a panel discussion, panellists take it, in turn, to share their views and counter the opinions of other panellists.

The panel discussion is a great way to get ideas and opinions from industry experts who know how it works on the inside, so you can learn more about issues that affect your business by listening in on panel discussions at events held throughout the year. A panel discussion usually lasts between 30 minutes and an hour, but panellists will usually be available to talk longer if needed.

The panel discussion is a great way to get your opinions and ideas out there, meet like-minded people with whom you can collaborate later down the line, and learn more about what’s going on in today’s world of industry. In addition, it allows learning how the other side views things as well.

The panel discussion is a great way to learn about what’s going on in the panel industry and how things operate in the real world, as well as helping you decide your views on different issues that affect your business today. There are panel discussions held throughout the year by organizations such as the M&A Advisor, who have panel events with a panel discussion to allow people to engage with other panel experts and learn more about the panel industry.

How to run a successful panel discussion?

Panel discussions are helpful if an issue needs attention. When you properly moderate when he manages the audience, that will benefit everybody and his panel. The appropriate committee will consist of those “fabulous four,” four experts who had different experiences but were not always agreed. Would you please prepare the panellists for their conference call for the content of the session? Plan it for each speaker who was given a fixed duration or not if there is a total interactive speaker.

Preparing for the panel

If you decide to join a discussion, ask for the format to be determined. You should look at the positions of other panelists and be ready for conversation. Even if you’re not prepared to write the perfect answer for every question, you may have, and you can expect some interesting answers. Remember, panel discussions are not competitions: you must work constructively with others to bring a positive and exciting session to the audience. Panel discussions are more like discussions, so they lend themselves well to a less formal tone than presentations, such as telling short but relevant stories.

Choose a Well-structured Topic.

The most crucial thing to bear in mind when picking your panel topic is that it should be of interest to the industry, which means that your panelists will care and have an opinion on it. Check whether the subject is too broad; if so, your discussion may quickly drift off-topic and become dispersed.

Be clear about the panel discussion goal.

A panel discussion must have a purpose, and it should be targeted at a specific outcome for both your audience and panel. You need an objective to measure: what do we want people to take away from this session? What are our goals for this panel discussion? Once you know where you’re going, you can work out how to get there.

Pick a Skillful Moderator

It’s time to pick a moderator now that you’ve decided on your topic. Moderators aren’t required to be experts in your chosen field, but they will undoubtedly aid in the smooth flow of your discussion and ensure that it stays on track. The most important quality you should look for while selecting a moderator is leadership skills – managing a panel discussion session.

Find Good Panelists

Now you get to choose who will be on your panel. You can have between 3 and 5 people on the board. Beware of having too many people on the forum because then it will be overwhelming.

When choosing people for your panel, make sure they are qualified and have spoken in the past. It is also essential to make sure that there are a lot of different backgrounds on the panel. That way it will be better!

Prepare the questions

If you have selected a moderator, make sure they are a topic expert. Please make sure the questions are open-ended and allow the panelists to speak about their backgrounds. Make sure that each question gives everyone an equal chance to talk about their ideas.

Be aware of panel discussion timing.

Your panel discussion agenda should allow the amount of time each panel member has and will enable some flexibility if something unexpected happens during a session, such as an audience participation or questions from the floor. The panel’s agreed on an overall topic, but what they want to talk about and how they get there will depend on the panel discussion session.

The panel discussion agenda should be agreed in advance so that everyone knows what’s expected of them during their time on stage; you can help your panellists by letting them know who else is speaking and when and an outline of any topics or questions from the floor.

Just to sum everything up I recommend you check this video!

Want to read dome more?
Check our blog post about: 11 Tips How to Improve Your Active Listening Skills
You should read also: Four Types of Conversation: the Basics
Learn about Asynchronous Communication

Conclusion

Panel discussions are a great way to take your company’s message and spread it further than you can on your own. They also allow listeners to ask questions, which often leads to more engagement with your brand or business. If you need help arranging one of these events for your company, we have some tips to get them started! So, give us a call today if you want expert advice when it comes to panel discussion planning.

We look forward to hearing from you soon!