Too often, panels at conferences and events are treated as filler content. They give the audience a "break" between keynotes, or a convenient slot to showcase multiple voices without much effort. It's a lazy format that yields predictably bland discussions, recycled talking points, and checked-out audiences.

A panel should never be a passive interlude. Done well, it can be the most dynamic and valuable part of the entire program.

Here are a few tips to create a panel that offers something other formats can't: spontaneous, multi-perspective conversation where ideas clash, insights emerge, and the audience feels part of something real.