Structure of a panel

The panel is a form of presentation that allows a topic to be approached from different perspectives. For this purpose, different specialists in the points to be discussed are present, with the aim of communicating a message that is enriching for the audience. This type of event has its own characteristics, so it is important to understand its structure before participating in one.

During this session, we will be analyzing some of the most important points related to this topic. This will make it easier for you to approach this important communicative act.

Number of members: The number of members of a panel varies depending on the number of perspectives needed to address the topic in question. In general, the panel should be composed of a minimum of three panelists. It is important to emphasize that the purpose of this communicative act is not to confront two diametrically opposed positions, but to provide an analysis from the experience of several specialists.

Similarly, it is not recommended that the number of speakers be excessively high; a maximum of five or six speakers is sufficient for the debate to develop adequately. When the number of specialists is higher than the recommended number, it is difficult to balance the interventions so that they fit the established time, since each panelist should have the same amount of presentation time.

Panel presentation time: The presentation time of a panel, as a general rule, ranges from one hour to a maximum of two and a half hours. Occasionally, the time may be extended slightly if circumstances warrant it. Each speaker will have a presentation period of about 20 minutes, which may be slightly shorter or longer depending on the number of panelists.

Panel presentation time should take into account the number of questions that will be offered to the audience, since these will be developed later by the specialists, thus contributing to the length of the presentation.

The moderator: The moderator is one of the main figures of a panel, since he/she acts as the director of the debate, leading each of the phases of its development. Thanks to the moderator, it is possible to maintain the coherence of the ideas to be addressed, bearing in mind that in this type of presentations, controversies or secondary topics that deviate from the general interest of the audience may arise. That said, the person acting as moderator should have basic knowledge of each of the points to be discussed.

Although the moderator need not be a specialist, he/she should be familiar with the different positions and know the basic criteria of the specialists. The moderator is responsible for timing and presenting each of the phases of the debate.

Phases of the panel

• First phase: The moderator addresses the audience to introduce each of the panelists, giving a brief description of them.
• Second phase: The moderator asks a question to the panelists and conducts the response time of each one of them.
• Third phase: When the panelists have formulated their answer to the question, the moderator can go deeper into the point addressed if he/she considers that it has not been fully developed. To do so, he will ask new questions to all the panelists or only to those he considers that they can provide more information on the subject. Once the point has been fully covered, the next points will be moved on to the following ones, applying the same formula as mentioned above.
• Fourth phase: A summary of the points addressed is made, where each panelist briefly reviews his or her general criteria on these points.
• Fifth phase: The moderator asks the audience to ask pertinent questions to be answered by the specialists.