How do you measure the impact and feedback of your panel discussion?

Panel discussions are a great way to showcase diverse perspectives and insights on a topic, but they can also be challenging to keep the audience interested and involved. How can you make sure your panel discussion is engaging, interactive, and memorable? Here are some tips to help you plan, prepare, and deliver a successful panel discussion.

1 Choose a relevant and specific topic

The first step to engaging the audience is to choose a topic that is relevant to their needs, interests, and goals. A vague or broad topic can make it hard to focus the discussion and capture the attention of the audience. A specific and timely topic can spark curiosity and generate questions from the audience. For example, instead of "The Future of Work", you could choose "How to Adapt to Remote Work in the Post-Pandemic Era".

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Dr. Keith L. Somerville

DKindness
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Along with choosing your topic is asking who will your audience be. Knowing the interest of the majority of the people in the room will help you formulate questions and make key points for reflection throughout the presentation.

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2 Select and brief your panelists

The next step is to select your panelists carefully and brief them on the objectives, format, and expectations of the panel discussion. You want to choose panelists who have different backgrounds, experiences, and opinions on the topic, but who can also communicate clearly and respectfully with each other and the audience. You also want to brief them on the main questions, the time limit, the tone, and the role of the moderator. You can also ask them to prepare some stories, examples, or data to support their points.

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Nicole Williams, MS, BCBA, LBA

Adjunct Faculty | Content Developer| Board Certified Behavior Analyst
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Having a diverse panel is essential to a learning environment. Be sure to select people who represent multiple backgrounds so that the conversation can mirror the greater population.

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Jan-Jaap In der Maur

Owner-moderator-trainer at Masters in Moderation/Eigenaar-dagvoorzitter-trainer bij Dagvoorzitter.nl
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Please bring in the moderator in an early stage, so that he/she can prepare properly and grow into the event together with you and the pannellists.

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3 Prepare and practice your moderation

As the moderator, you have the responsibility of facilitating the panel discussion and ensuring that it is engaging, interactive, and balanced. You need to prepare and practice your introduction, your transitions, your follow-up questions, and your conclusion. You also need to practice how to manage the time, the flow, and the dynamics of the panel discussion. You need to be able to introduce the topic and the panelists, guide the conversation, encourage participation, handle disagreements, and summarize the key takeaways.

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Nicole Williams, MS, BCBA, LBA

Adjunct Faculty | Content Developer| Board Certified Behavior Analyst
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Do a trial run with mentees, colleagues, or people who don’t know much about the topic. Having multiple trial listeners will help you identify common questions, themes, and a variety of viewpoints that may spark additional discussion.

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4 Involve the audience throughout

One of the best ways to engage the audience in a panel discussion is to involve them throughout the session. You can do this by asking them to submit questions before or during the panel discussion, by using polls or surveys to get their feedback, by inviting them to share their opinions or experiences, or by creating breakout groups or activities to foster interaction. You can also use social media, hashtags, or live chat to create a buzz and a sense of community around the panel discussion.

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Nicole Williams, MS, BCBA, LBA

Adjunct Faculty | Content Developer| Board Certified Behavior Analyst
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If you give the audience time to come up with their own examples, engage in an activity, or participate in small group instruction, allow them time to share those experiences with the larger group. Allowing time to engage in additional discussion ensures that concepts are understood, applied and expanded upon.

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5 Measure the impact and feedback

The last step to engaging the audience in a panel discussion is to measure the impact and feedback of your session. You want to know how the audience felt, what they learned, and what they would like to see more of. You can do this by using evaluation forms, surveys, or quizzes to collect their responses, by analyzing the data and metrics from the online platforms or tools you used, or by following up with the audience via email, social media, or newsletters. You can also use the feedback to improve your future panel discussions and to thank your panelists and your audience for their participation.

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Tobin Bechtel

Experienced Educational Leader | Head of School | Transforming Education at Renowned Schools Worldwide
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I gather feedback from attendees through post-event surveys and social media monitoring. Key questions I use are: How relevant were the topics? How engaging were the panelists? How did the discussion increase understanding? What were your key takeaways? I use a Likert scale to keep questions concise but also add open comments fields to encourage maximum participation. With permission, I often use insights from the surveys on social media. It's crucial to involve panelists in online Q&A sessions, share slides and quotes, and encourage further discussion. Continuing the conversation beyond the event ensures the discussion remains relevant and impactful, leading to a more informed and engaged audience along with increased visibility.

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How do you measure the impact and feedback of your panel discussion?

1

2

3

4

5

1 Choose a relevant and specific topic

2 Select and brief your panelists

3 Prepare and practice your moderation

4 Involve the audience throughout

5 Measure the impact and feedback

Public Speaking

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How do you measure the impact and feedback of your panel discussion?

1

2

3

4

5

1 Choose a relevant and specific topic

2 Select and brief your panelists

3 Prepare and practice your moderation

4 Involve the audience throughout

5 Measure the impact and feedback

Public Speaking

Rate this article

Thanks for your feedback

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