Tips on Moderating a Panel Discussion at Conferences

In the last few years, I attended and moderated countless discussions and panels at conferences and virtual events. I started to identify differences between a good panel discussion versus those that were less informative. The role of a moderator is one of the key differentiators to a successful conference. I wanted to share some of my observations for anyone interested in improving their moderatoring skills - or it can also be utilized to improve your role as a panelist as well!

Conferences play a pivotal role in disseminating knowledge - therefore the role of a moderator should not be taken lightly. From guiding the discussion, managing the time, and engaging the audience, these are skills that not even the most seasoned CEOs have mastered. Here are some tips that I quickly curated based on my conference experiences.

1. Preparing the Panelists. Normally the moderator takes lead in identifying key questions or topics for discussion based on the session abstract. S/he will organize a prep meeting or send out an email with about 3-5 questions that will be covered. Depending on the length of the session and number of panelist speakers, the number of questions can vary. However it is recommended to allow for few questions so that each speaker can go deeper into each question and allow for follow-up questions. The preparation session can also help the moderator weave in tidbits of information that were previously discussed to make the conversation flow more naturally.
2. Stick to the topic on hand. Each panelist will have different levels of experience with public speaking. And not all of them will be comfortable ab-libbing (nor will they be allowed to do so depending on their company policy). Therefore, the moderator should stick to questions that were discussed previously to avoid any surprises. While flexibility and adaptability are important qualities, it is also important to minimize these disruptions.
3. Develop a sequence to the panelists' stories. While the moderator should know their audience with the right type of questions, the moderator is also responsible for researching each panelist and spending the time to understand each perspective that the panelist will share on stage. Armed with this knowledge, the moderator should build the story for each panelist to answer the questions in specific sequence. This will help paint a logical picture for the audience to follow along.
4. Add context for the audience. Oftentimes moderators jump straight to the question without providing background to the audience on the session topic. Weaving in background information and sharing any stated assumptions, will help the audience understand why the question was asked to the panelists. This context helps smooth and bridge between the topic transitions as well. Pro tip: Using humor can also lighten the mood for the audience as well!
5. Explore different panel formats to liven up the discussion. Panel discussions can be mundate and formulaic if not done properly. There are ways to make it more interesting! A few examples that I have seen that stood out including asking panelists to take a contrarian view to provide different viewpoints for the audience. Another panel format that was interesting was setting up different personas for each panelist to take so that they can share specific examples from other viewpoints. Credit to Julia Bardmesser for implementing these different formats at events!
6. Engage the audience early on. In addition to using audience polls or utilizing tools like Menti to crowdsource audience responses, I have seen panels that ask for questions before the event even starts! This is important to ensure that the moderator gets to know the audience and connects with them at the right level and on the right topic. Based on the feedback, the moderator can pivot to higher level questions or stick to basic concepts with the panelists.

Lastly, in my experience as a moderator, I try to ask questions that I would like to hear as an audience member. Conference tracks can often be viewed as repetitive in terms of the topics. It is important to find a different point of view that has not been heard before. For example, if the audience is comprised of data practitioners, they would like to hear about projects that did not work out successfully and what lessons learned by the team. Also each panelist brings unique strengths including personalized experiences. By allowing the panelist the time to respond in-depth and share specific stories/examples with the audience, it will allow the audience to get a better understanding of the use case that they might not learn about elsewhere.

Panel sessions are usually allocated 30, 45 or 60 minutes in a conference agenda. The speed of time accelerates during the time of each session. I often ask myself "where did the time go?" because an engaging and fun discussion makes the time go by much faster. Therefore, the moderator needs to be agile, flexible and engaged with the audience and panelists to ensure a smooth and productive panel discussion. Thinking on your feet is a skill that can be practiced!

I still recall my first panel session which I moderated. It ended early with an awkward silence because I finished asking the scripted questions. I failed to ask follow-up to each panelists following their responses and I was too inexperienced to utilize my audience engagement tips. I'm curious to hear from you if there are any other tips that you would recommend!