The panel discussion is a go-to format for many conference planners. These forums may be exciting for the panelists but they're often a bore for audiences and a chore for moderators. Here are some tips for keeping it fresh next time you're asked to facilitate a few speakers:
- Involve the audience in the first five minutes. Ask a few people to introduce themselves to get a sense of who's in the audience. This keeps your panelists from acting as if they're in a bubble.
- Ban slides. PowerPoint presentations will usually gobble up your time and prevent any kind of interesting interactions from happening.
- Don't go down the line for every question. Two answers are plenty, unless a third person is dying to jump in. Instead, ask a related question, ask for a concrete example, or simply shift gears and ask your other panelists something else.
Adapted from
"How To Moderate a Panel Like a Pro," by Scott Kirsner. 
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