21 Insightful Questions to Ask When Moderating Your Next Discussion Forum (Plus Some Great Tips for Creating Your Own) (2023)

Assessment

“I ask the panel dozens of questions ahead of time…I literally write 30-50 questions ahead of time, knowing I can only answer 5 of them, but when I do ask them, they're worded exactly how I'm writing they'd like to have. , and the board stays on the right track.”
-Tom Webster, author, speaker, and panel moderator.

As a panel moderator, one of your biggest responsibilities is to ask insightful and interesting questions.

Don't settle for the theme.

Instead, come in with the perspective that you are deeply interested in the topic and would like to gain insight by interviewing panel members.

Your questions can spark a great discussion that will inform and entertain your audience. So make sure you know what you want to ask before you go on stage.

Here are some questions to help you get started.

21 Questions to Ask Yourself When Moderating Your Next Panel Discussion

While creating questions specifically for your panel is the best way to make your discussion unique and engaging, sometimes it can be hard to know where to start. Read below to learn how to create and collate your queries, or ask the experts atedubirdieto help you create and edit questions.

Here are 21 questions you can ask almost any panel to get started or continue if you've run out of questions of your own.

1. How can we advance in [area/topic/industry]?
   
2. How has [area/subject/industry] changed in the last 5 years? What do you think will happen in the next 5 to 10 years?
   
3. What is currently the biggest challenge in [area/topic/industry]?
   
4. What are the key changes we need to make to effectively navigate into the future?
   
5. What impact did [specific technology] have on [area/topic/industry]?
   
6. Who is making the most progress in [area/topic/industry] and what are they doing?
   
7. What is the most interesting trend for 2019?
   
8. What do you think would be the best outcome for the [public/industry/planet]?
   
9. What is the most important way we can make a meaningful difference?
   
10. In your publication [book/article/etc.] you said that [point of view]. How did you get there? [Follow-up question to another panelist]: Do you have a different perspective?
    
11. What made you decide to address this topic? How did you get to [industry/area] and why do you continue?
    
12. How do people in your [industry/field] make a difference in the world?
    
13. What has helped you get to where you are [influential/effective/at the top] and what advice would you give to others who want to go in a similar direction?
    
14. What are the most common misconceptions that people have? How can we combat these misunderstandings and communicate more effectively?
    
15. Can you recall a specific experience where you wished [you/your organization/your industry] had done something different? If you had to do it all over again, what would you change?
    
16. A continuation of the previous question: By comparison, do you remember something you did or wish others did and why?
    
17. What question are you most tired of on this topic and what would you like to say about it so you never have to answer it again?
    
18. What question would you like to hear from [specific panelist]?
    
19. What practical advice would you give to someone just starting out?
    
20. What is the best resource for those who want to dig deeper?
    
21. Is there anything we left here that needs to be addressed?

Create your own questions

If you create your own questions, you must first return to the purpose of your board. Why are you here and why should your audience care?

Every question should come back to her, constantly encouraging your panelists to create value and insights for your audience.

What kinds of questions should you ask?

• What interests the audience?

• Will this question draw on the panelist's experience in any meaningful way?

• Is this question open ended or does it get a simple "yes" or "no" answer?

• Will the question spark a deeper conversation? Does it have the potential to spark debate?

• Is this question something you can't easily find an answer to on the internet?

• Why is this particular speaker on the podium? What unique perspective can you add? how to draw this

Question Checklist

Once you've created your list of questions, go back and make sure you pass the checklist below.

5 Point Checklist - It deals with the question:

• Clear reference to the subject matter.

• It reflects the perspectives, experiences or interests of the panelists.

  (Video) A Stage Set | Critical Role | Campaign 3, Episode 32

• Address the problems, challenges or interests of the audience.

• An important issue that needs to be discussed now.

• A conversation will start (controversial/different perspectives or experiences).

where do you start opening questions

The first question will set the tone for the panel and is crucial to generating immediate interest.

Avoid over generalizations and try to keep it interesting.

The first person to speak also affects the tone of the panel, so think about who you want to start with and why.

If you start with the quietest person on the panel, does that get them talking right away and keep them engaged in the conversation?

If you start with the person with the most experience, can they dig into the topic right away?

What about the person who originally proposed the idea for the panel? Are they more likely to set the tone you're looking for?

Should you be asking everyone the same opening question to get your first leads?

3 types of opening questions

- easy heating

Start with a simple, broad question that the speakers are comfortable with.

Some examples include a request for a status report, some information about the problem, or how they got involved.

However, don't spend too much time here. Jump to more controversial topics or you risk boring your audience.

- Fire Starter

Ignore the subtleties and start strong.

Create perspective by asking a provocative question.

Some examples: ask each panel member to give a strong opinion on the topic or describe the biggest challenge facing us (or the industry) in the future.

- audience reader

Sometimes it's not possible to find out the knowledge level of your audience before the panel, so starting with a question that helps you and the panelists determine this early on can be very helpful.

Find out their level of knowledge by asking them to raise their hand.

For example, "How many people have been in the industry for less than a year?", "More than a year?", "More than 5 years?" or "Who do you think could lead this panel?" (asks with a touch of humor); or "How many people agree with [a particular perspective on the issue]?" "How many disagree?"

Now get out there and ask some great questions!

As a panel moderator, you have a special role. Your job is to make it as insightful, interesting, and informative as possible.

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• 6 ideas for moderating engaging discussion boards

Expert Panel Moderators: What questions do you keep coming back to? Share your experiences with us and we may include your tips in a future article.Contact Us.

Looking for more ways to moderate dashboards?Learn more about how to get listed on SpeakerHub.

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