Managing Panel Presentations

July 28, 2014 // Production Services

Secrets to Managing Panel Presentations

By Mindy McReynolds, Director, Production Services

A panel presentation can provide a meaningful way to share a variety of ideas on a topic and highlight your organization as a thought leader. Used for both general and breakout sessions, panels are a great way to get more speakers onstage within a given time allotment and enhance attendee engagement. However, as is the case with any type of presentation, success begins with a thorough planning process.

Organizations often have an intuitive sense of where participation in a panel discussion is beneficial and what team members would be the best fit for their given event. Some of the pragmatic details, however, can be less intuitive, and where these seemingly minor concerns turn into big problems.

Practical considerations that are often overlooked during planning efforts are:

How will the panel flow?
Who is going to moderate the panel?
What kind of mics are you going to use and where are they located?
Should you have mic wranglers (term used to refer to people that have hand-held mics that they deliver to the person speaking)?

Confusion on the part of panelists when it comes to these matters can undermine the impression your organization is trying to create. Not only will your panelists lose time in sorting out the technical difficulties, but they will not be able to convey their ideas as effectively and professionally as they would be without such distractions.

Getting into the Details

A good place to begin looking at specifics is with the panel’s overall timing and flow. It is best to schedule the discussion immediately after a break as this creates a window of time for changing the set onstage. In any case, you will need to consider the programmatic transition that will accommodate the panel.

Key considerations include:

Stage Size: Make sure the stage is large enough to accommodate the panel. If you have a large panel, you might want to look at creating tiered seating (low seating for the front panel members with high back stools behind them) on stage to accommodate the group.
Equipment: Find out in advance if the venue provides stagehands and equipment.
Furniture: Typically, high back stools with a foot rest or a standard chair with a back are all you need. It’s also a good idea to include end tables.
Sound: Make sure that you have enough channels and microphones for everyone on the panel… plus a few extra, in the event of unforeseen circumstances! If there are not enough microphones for each member, it’s acceptable for presenters to share handheld mics. A good rule is one handle for every two people.
Lighting: Set the furniture in areas with good lighting on the stage. Pre-setting and “spiking” the stage is a good idea to make sure placement is accurate when placing furniture during the show or on a break.

Delivery

With the equipment and staging planned, it is vital to outline the logistics and responsibilities of key personnel to ensure the panel is fluid. Presentation delivery includes more than just communicating your main message. As part of your planning phase, ask the following questions:

Who will perform the introduction?
Who is the moderator?
Should you include videos? This will require extra equipment and possibly a programmatic shift.
What are the control questions? Questions planted in the audience can get discussion rolling when audience members are hesitant to participate. Having questions for which the speaker has prepared answers also helps the flow of the Q&A.
How does the speaker get on and off the stage?

Another key consideration is logistics or special needs for high-profile speakers. It is essential to make sure the entire team understands limits and how far they are to go for a speaker before the requests occur.

ShowTime

Even with the best of plans in place, it is vital to make time for a thorough rehearsal. Also, remind your panel speakers to be aware of their body language while onstage. They should be engaged with what is going on even when they are not presenting. It is important that they make eye contact with the cameras and the audience. Also, remind speakers to wear comfortable attire. Onstage considerations involve such issues as cords and other tripping hazards that can snag shoe heels, as well as the viewing angle that audience members will have from the floor. Further, each speaker should have a dedicated back stage manager: one person to act as a single point of contact and have accountability for helping the presenter get what he or she need and get where he or she needs to be.

Final Thoughts

Open lines of communication with your production team are the real underpinnings of a successful panel discussion. The technical and timing hurdles associated with a panel are not large, but they can be diverse. Therefore, advanced planning, along with a coordinated effort among team members, will create the best flow for your event.

A member of the team since 2005, Mindy McReynolds has expertise in events, production and speaker management. In her current role as Director, Production Services, she is responsible for all stage production related programs for metroConnections. With a degree from California State University, Northridge, she has more than 12 years of experience in the industry. McReynolds has held other positions at metroConnections including Production Coordinator, Show Manager and Speaker Manager. Contact us today to walk you through all your production needs!