How to Make a Panel Presentation [Like a Pro Without Boring Everyone]
- Ink Narrates | The Presentation Design Agency
- Mar 28
- 6 min read
Jai, one of our clients, asked us a question while we were working on his panel presentation:
"How do I make sure my panel doesn’t turn into a total snoozefest?"
Our Creative Director answered without missing a beat: "Simple, stop treating it like a lecture and start treating it like a conversation people actually want to be part of."
As a presentation design agency, we work on countless panel presentations throughout the year, and we’ve noticed a common challenge: Most of them end up feeling like a glorified Q&A session where panelists talk at the audience instead of with them. The energy fizzles out, the discussion goes in circles, and instead of a dynamic conversation, you get a string of predictable responses wrapped in corporate-speak.
So, if you want your panel presentation to actually engage people (instead of making them check their phones every five minutes), you need to do things differently.
Why Many Panel Presentations Suck
Many panel presentations are forgettable at best and painfully dull at worst. Why? Because they follow the same tired formula:
A moderator reads out generic bios (which the audience could have Googled in two seconds).
Panelists take turns giving long-winded answers that feel like pre-rehearsed PR statements.
Audience Q&A turns into a chaotic free-for-all where half the questions are irrelevant, and the other half are just people trying to sound smart.
The result? A room full of people politely nodding, pretending to listen, while secretly planning what they’re going to order for dinner.
But here’s the thing—panel presentations should be engaging. They should feel like an unscripted, high-energy conversation where the audience actually cares about what’s being said. And that doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because someone planned it that way.
That someone is you.
If you're organizing, moderating, or even just speaking on a panel, it’s your job to make sure it doesn’t suck. And that starts with breaking the cycle of boring, formulaic panels and designing an experience that people actually want to pay attention to.
How to Make a Panel Presentation
1. Choose Panelists Who Actually Have Something to Say
Most panel presentations fail before they even start because they pick the wrong people. Too often, panels are made up of big names rather than people who will actually add value to the discussion. Just because someone has an impressive title doesn’t mean they’re going to give compelling insights.
You need panelists who:
Have strong opinions and aren’t afraid to voice them.
Offer different perspectives instead of just agreeing with each other.
Can articulate their thoughts clearly and concisely.
A panel where everyone agrees with each other is boring. A panel where every answer sounds like it came from a corporate press release is pointless. What you need are people who will challenge each other, push the conversation forward, and keep the audience engaged.
If you’re picking panelists based purely on status, rethink your approach. Instead, ask: Will this person make the discussion more interesting? If the answer isn’t an immediate yes, keep looking.
2. The Moderator Controls Everything—So Pick the Right One
A bad moderator will kill even the best panel discussion. Their job isn’t just to read bios and keep time—it’s to drive the energy of the conversation. A great moderator knows when to push panelists for deeper answers, when to cut someone off, and how to guide the discussion without dominating it.
Here’s what a strong moderator does:
Keeps the conversation moving at a good pace.
Asks sharp, direct questions that pull real insights from panelists.
Cuts off ramblers and redirects the discussion when needed.
Brings in quieter panelists so everyone contributes equally.
Most importantly, a great moderator isn’t afraid to challenge panelists. They should ask follow-ups like:
“That’s a safe answer—can you give me a real example?”
“I hear what you’re saying, but what if someone disagrees?”
“Can you break that down in simpler terms for the audience?”
Without a strong moderator, even the best panelists will drift into vague, generic answers that don’t add any real value. A good moderator keeps them sharp, engaged, and accountable.
3. Ditch the Long-Winded Intros and Get to the Point
Nobody cares about panelist bios. At least, not in the way they’re usually presented. The audience doesn’t need to sit through five-minute introductions listing every job title and achievement—just give them one sentence that explains why each panelist is relevant to the discussion.
Better yet, let the panelists introduce themselves in one sentence each. Then move on. The faster you can get into the actual discussion, the better.
If the first 10 minutes of your panel are spent reading bios, you’ve already lost the audience.
4. Have a Clear Structure—But Keep It Loose
A panel presentation shouldn’t feel scripted, but it also shouldn’t feel like a free-for-all. The best panels strike a balance between structure and spontaneity.
That means:
Having 3-5 key discussion points planned in advance.
Knowing which panelists are best suited to answer specific topics.
Keeping the discussion fluid rather than robotic.
Think of a panel like a great dinner party conversation—you want it to have direction, but not feel forced. A rigid script makes everything sound unnatural, while too much improvisation leads to rambling. Aim for something in between.
5. Ask the Right Questions (and Avoid the Wrong Ones)
A panel presentation is only as good as the questions being asked. Generic, surface-level questions will get generic, surface-level answers. If you want real insights, you need to ask better questions.
Avoid:
Broad, vague questions ("What’s the future of AI?")
Overly open-ended questions ("Tell us about your experience with leadership.")
Questions that panelists can answer with a single word ("Do you think remote work is here to stay?")
Instead, go for:
Specific, sharp questions ("What’s one AI trend you think is completely overhyped?")
Challenge-based questions ("What’s the worst leadership advice you’ve ever received?")
Questions that make panelists take a stance ("If you had to bet your career on one emerging technology, what would it be and why?")
Good questions lead to strong opinions, real insights, and actual debates—the things that make a panel interesting.
6. Cut Off the Ramblers
Every panel has that person—the one who takes five minutes to say something that could have been said in ten seconds. As a moderator, you must cut them off.
It’s not rude. It’s necessary.
Long-winded responses kill momentum, frustrate the audience, and eat up time that could be spent on more valuable discussion. A good moderator knows how to politely but firmly step in:
“That’s a great point, and I want to make sure we get another perspective—[Next panelist], what do you think?”
“I love that example. Let’s build on that—how does this apply to [another topic]?”
“We’ve got a lot to cover, so let’s move to the next question.”
Nobody enjoys listening to a single person dominate the conversation. The best panels move quickly, keeping everyone engaged.
7. Make Audience Q&A Worthwhile
Let’s be real—audience Q&A can be a disaster. You either get questions that are completely off-topic, people who just want to hear themselves talk, or the dreaded “This is more of a comment than a question…”
Instead of opening the floor to anyone, try:
Pre-screening questions: Have attendees submit questions beforehand and pick the best ones.
Moderator-led audience interaction: Instead of random Q&A, have the moderator collect and combine similar questions.
Lightning-round answers: If Q&A is dragging, have panelists give one-sentence answers to keep things moving.
Audience interaction should add value, not derail the discussion. Keep it focused and don’t be afraid to shut down irrelevant questions.
8. End with Something Memorable
The worst way to end a panel? “Well, that’s all the time we have. Thanks for coming.”
A panel should close with a strong takeaway—something the audience can actually use. Instead of a generic wrap-up, try:
One-sentence takeaways from each panelist. (“If there’s one thing I’d tell people about this topic, it’s…”)
A bold prediction. (“In five years, this industry will look completely different because…”)
A final thought-provoking question. (“Now that you’ve heard from our panelists, ask yourself: What will you do differently?”)
A good ending makes the entire discussion feel more valuable. A bad one makes people forget it ever happened.
Why Hire Us to Build your Presentation?
If you're reading this, you're probably working on a presentation right now. You could do it all yourself. But the reality is - that’s not going to give you the high-impact presentation you need. It’s a lot of guesswork, a lot of trial and error. And at the end of the day, you’ll be left with a presentation that’s “good enough,” not one that gets results. On the other hand, we’ve spent years crafting thousands of presentations, mastering both storytelling and design. Let us handle this for you, so you can focus on what you do best.