Not all conference management software is created equal. So ask these 10 questions before you purchase.
The conference management software you select is going to directly impact your experience of running a research conference at every level. I’m talking about everything from your stress levels to how much of your time you spend comparing reviews. It also has a reputational impact – you want to provide the best possible system for authors submitting, reviewers reviewing and delegates registering that won’t show you in a bad light!
With competitive price and timely delivery, VISSONIC sincerely hope to be your supplier and partner.
When it comes to choosing conference management software for your research event, price should never be the be-all and end-all. I’ve spoken to hundreds of organisers to get to the bottom of what’s really important to their event and their committee. And while price is a factor, you’d be surprised how rarely it comes down to price alone.
Why is conference management software important?
Conference management software is essential for streamlining and enhancing the planning and execution of scholarly conferences. Conference organisers use it centralises core tasks like registration, conference programme, and abstract submission, saving organisers time and reducing manual effort. With tools for managing attendee engagement, speaker coordination such as your conference mobile app, it ensures a more seamless experience for all participants. Overall, conference management software allows for efficient, organised, and successful events that meet both organiser and attendee expectations.
We know someone who used to print thousands of submissions and sort them into topic piles on their office floor, walking around with Post-its to match submissions to reviewers. Thankfully, they no longer need to, thanks to conference management software (ours, of course!). Others struggle with low-budget tools like Google Forms, which can create a poor first impression for members, authors, and attendees.
Conference management software integrates abstract management, registration, scheduling, and reliable virtual or hybrid event support into one streamlined system. If you expect more than 50 submissions, investing in software designed for the demands of scholarly events is essential—it’ll help you manage the complexities of the process, save valuable time, and reduce stress for your team.
So it’s vital you get the right system for your conference. But with so much choice out there – and an assortment of free conference management systems – what’s important to look for?
Here are 10 questions to ask when you’re comparing software options for your conference.
1. How does the allocation process work?
Without the right software, matching the appropriate submissions to the appropriate reviewers can be one of the most frustratingly time-consuming tasks known to man. What the conference organisers I speak to want most out of a conference management system is an efficient way to do this. But not all conference management software is created equal: with some systems, there’s still a lot of work involved in allocating submissions. So it’s important you get a good understanding of how the process is designed within any system, and how long it’s likely to take you to allocate.
Look for conference management software like Ex Ordo that’s built specifically for scientific, technical or medical conferences. It’s more likely to have sophisticated abstract management capabilities.
2. What kind of visibility does the software provide?
With software like Ex Ordo you can see how reviews are progressing
Can you easily see which authors have incomplete submissions, or which reviewers haven’t started reviewing yet? The ability to see this is pretty vital because, for example, how else do you balance sending reminders to reviewers with lots of outstanding reviews, while leaving the ones making good progress in peace?
So be sure to ask what kind of visibility you get via the conference management system on who’s progressing with what.
3. What’s the process for accepting or rejecting submissions?
As many conferences are international and some presenters may need to obtain a visa to enter the country of your conference, being able to make decisions and notify your presenters in a timely manner is important. Simplicity and visibility are key here.
You need a system that’ll provide you with an easy way to filter submissions to compare reviewers’ scores and comments, make your final decisions on who to accept and reject, and then send letters of acceptance to the relevant authors. So check that the conference management system lets you make decisions quickly and easily.
4. Can reviewers export their assigned submissions?
Some reviewers still like working with paper. Others like to review while getting the bus to work or on a flight before their vacation. So you need conference software that’ll give them the ability to review offline.
Look for a conference management system that allows reviewers to download, comment and review on paper, and then upload their reviews. The majority of reviewers review in their spare time – you want to make it as easy as possible for them to do this.
5. Will the system allow me to message specific groups of people within the conference?
When it comes to running a research conference, clear communication is half the battle. Can the conference management software let you get in touch with, say, authors with pending submissions? Or delegates who haven’t paid?
Being able to target groups like this can make you much more efficient when you need to contact people. So look for software where targeted messaging comes as standard.
6. What kind of tech support does your company provide?
This is a question rookie organisers frequently overlook, but I can’t stress how important it is. Especially if you’re considering going with budget or free conference management software. Like any software that will have hundreds (and potentially thousands) of people from your conference using it at once, sometimes things go wrong. When they do, it’s vital you have an expert on hand who can help get you untangled.
Select conference management software like Ex Ordo that’s backed by solid support. People often don’t realise how much of a must-have that is until they’re in the middle of organising their conference!
7. Can I see which presenters have registered? (And paid)?
When you’re finalising your conference schedule, you’ll need to check that every presenter has paid to attend. If the conference management system you’re considering doesn’t allow this, it could mean hours of cross-checking two systems.
Ask if the software includes a registration system as standard, and if so, if it’s powerful enough to differentiate between presenters and regular delegates.
8. Is the conference management software GDPR compliant?
The GDPR is the European Union’s new data protection law. It applies to anyone who controls the personal data of EU citizens and comes with pretty big fines for non-compliance. It also gives every EU citizen the same rights, no matter where their data is processed. Which means that, even if your conference is held outside the EU, there’s a good chance the GDPR applies to you as a conference organiser. And for your conference to be GDPR compliant, any suppliers who process your delegates’ data need to be compliant too. Which means your conference management software.
Before you buy, check that the conference management system is GDPR compliant.
9. Can the conference software integrate with a mobile app?
Mobile conference apps are fast becoming a pillar of the research conference experience. Apps make large areas – and complex schedules – much easier for delegates to navigate. And they can drastically shrink your conference printing costs too.
If you’re considering using an app, but your conference management system can’t integrate with one, you could miss out on a lot of the benefits, and spend a considerable amount of time exporting and importing data. Ask if the conference management software integrates with a mobile conference app.
10. Can I see it in action?
And finally…ask if you can see the conference management software in action. When you’re comparing software, questions will often build up that screenshots may not be able to answer. Like what are the benefits of system X compared to system Y, or whether or not your complex workflow is possible within the conference management software. The best thing to do is have a one-to-one conversation with the company before you make up your mind.
Request a live demo of any conference management system on your committee’s short-list. It’s the best and most time efficient way of knowing if a particular system is right for you.
Investing in conference management software
When you’re investing in conference management software, you’re investing in the quality of your event. But you’re also investing in your own time and that of your committee. You have too many important tasks to do between now and conference day to be fiddling around with a system that isn’t the right fit for your event.
What to Look for in Conference Management Software
Many general conference management software packages claim to offer conference features, but these are often limited. When comparing options, ensure the software meets your specific needs. High-quality software should include these essential features:
Abstract Management: Authors submit online, with the system automatically checking submissions for requirements (like word limits) and sorting by topic and presentation type. It should also assist in allocating submissions to the best reviewers, saving hours of manual work.
Delegate Registration: Look for a registration system that enables you to set up a merchant account for a short period, allowing you to receive payments quickly. The best systems will also help you avoid high fees commonly charged by online payment providers.
Programme Building: With numerous authors, topics, and timing conflicts, creating a programme can feel like solving a puzzle. A quality programme builder will allow you to create parallel sessions, detect conflicts, and seamlessly share the schedule via a mobile app, eliminating the need for printed copies.
Hybrid or Online Solution: While in-person meetings are more prevalent again, hybrid or online options continue to add value. Efficient conference software integrates virtual and hybrid functionalities with the rest of its features.
Customer Support: Tech support is invaluable—particularly human support, not just chatbots. Good software providers offer responsive support to help resolve any issues that arise.
Mobile Conference App: An app simplifies navigation at large venues and complex programmes. It allows delegates to send private messages, make public posts, and receive instant updates if a session location changes.
Data Compliance: As you handle personal information, ensure your software meets data protection standards like GDPR.
Book of Proceedings: Save on costs by collecting camera-ready submissions through your software, formatting them into a book of proceedings, and publishing it online.
Integrations: Your software should integrate with your existing tech, such as membership systems and single sign-on, to streamline operations and improve the member experience.
For an optimal user experience, look for an end-to-end conference management solution that includes top integrations, automations, and prioritises user experience.
Panel discussions are staples of academic and association events. They offer a dynamic platform to explore topics, share insights, and encourage dialogue among participants. These sessions hold unique value during virtual events, bridging geographical divides and allowing global participation. At more traditional, in-person gatherings, these real-time interactions become some of the most memorable experiences for attendees.
At the heart of every successful panel discussion lies a moderator who has mastered the art of asking the right questions. Well-crafted questions don’t just guide the conversation—they inspire it. Great discussion questions ensure panelists share meaningful insights and encourage audience engagement.
Whether you’re working on your moderating skills or supporting someone else to plan a panel discussion at an event, here’s what you should know…
Why Panel Discussion Questions Matter
The tone, depth, and direction of a panel discussion often hinge on the quality of its questions. It’s important to do your research on the topic and take your question crafting seriously. Good panel moderators know how to:
Set the Tone
Well-crafted, thought-provoking questions shape the focus and energy of the discussion. They clarify the panel’s purpose for both participants and spectators, ensuring a more engaging and meaningful dialogue.
Encourage Diverse Viewpoints
Thoughtful questions can uncover unique perspectives, ensuring that all voices are heard, especially in multidisciplinary panels.
Drive Audience Interaction
Open-ended questions often spark audience curiosity, encouraging participation through live Q&A or polls.
Guide Expert Insights
Sometimes, when you’re an expert on a topic, it can be difficult to know when to start when you’re asked a “general question” about your work. Good moderators help experts share their most relevant and impactful insights by asking pointed questions, providing clear prompts that align with the audience's interests, and encouraging panelists to expand on key points for clarity and value.
Foster Dynamic Discussion
Asking follow-up and probing questions keeps the conversations fluid, encouraging panelists to build on each other’s ideas.
Tailoring Questions to Your Panel Discussion Format
In addition to your conference format, the type of panel format you choose will influence how questions should be framed during the discussion. Here’s how to adapt to three of the most common formats:
Moderated Discussion
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In this classic format, the moderator leads the discussion, balancing panelist input and audience engagement. Questions should flow logically, covering key themes while leaving room for audience contributions. This flexible style gives the moderator the most control to guide the discussion based on the energy in the room and the topics they want to cover.
Q&A Session
Here, the audience drives much of the conversation. Pre-prepared questions can kick things off, but moderators should be ready to summarize and connect audience questions to the panel’s goals. This is a popular style of panel that usually starts with a brief introduction of the speakers and the topics/themes that the discussion aims to cover. After a longer question period with the audience, the moderator will commonly try to summarize the conversation and get a final few words of insight from each panelist before closing.
Debate Format
Debates focus on opposing views. Questions should highlight contrasting perspectives among the panelists while encouraging respectful dialogue. It’s important here for the moderator to ask follow-up questions that encourage the speakers to explore the implications of each stance. This format can lead to highly engaging and dynamic panels, but the moderator needs to be prepared to reign things in if the conversation gets too heated.
Types of Panel Discussion Questions (and Examples)
If you’re planning or moderating a panel discussion, it’s important to have a wide range of question types prepared to ask your speakers. Diversity in approach will lead to a dynamic discussion and a more interesting experience for both the panelists and the audience. In particular, you should avoid yes/no questions. Opt for ones that demand thoughtful, detailed answers. Some ways you could categorize your panel discussion questions are outlined below (including a few examples of each type):
Personal Questions
Start by introducing the panelists and allowing them to connect with the audience and the other panelists. Think of these as a warm-up to get the conversation flowing more naturally before the more complicated questions are asked.
Examples of personal questions to ask during a panel discussion include…
- Can you share a personal story or experience that led you to your current work?
- What inspired you to enter this field?
- What’s the most surprising thing about your work?
- What do you see as the most exciting trend in your area of expertise?
- What practical advice would you give to someone just starting in this field?
Thought-Provoking Questions
These questions challenge panelists to think a bit more deeply about the topic and can spark interest from the audience (i.e. have them engage with thinking how they might answer the question if someone asked them).
Examples of thought-provoking questions to ask during a panel discussion include…
- What emerging trend in this field do you believe will have the biggest impact in the next decade, and why?
- What is the biggest challenge facing [specific field/topic] today, and how should we tackle it?
- How do you see this issue intersecting with global challenges like climate change?
- What are the ethical considerations that we need to address in [topic/field]?
- What do you think we’ll look back on in 10 years and realize we were doing wrong?
Open-Ended Questions
Leaving space for open-ended answers can encourage more detailed responses from your panelists and support multiple viewpoints. Instead of asking for a specific “thing” or whether a speaker disagrees or agrees with something, these questions allow for nuance.
Examples of open-ended questions to ask during a panel discussion include…
- How do you see this issue evolving over the next few years?
- How has [specific trend or technology] changed the way you approach your work?
- How should organizations adapt to better meet the needs of [specific audience]?
- What would success look like for [topic/initiative]?
- If you had unlimited resources, what project would you pursue?
Follow-Up Questions
A moderator can use these to dive deeper into panelists’ responses and further explore the underlying ideas or interesting points that come up in conversation. These require the moderator to be more engaged in the panel and somewhat knowledgeable about the topics of discussion.
Examples of follow-up questions to ask during a panel discussion include…
- Can you elaborate on that point?
- What are the practical implications of this finding that you’ve mentioned?
- If someone wanted to learn more about that, where would you suggest they look?
- That’s a unique perspective. Have you ever had anyone challenge you on it?
Controversial Questions
When appropriate, these questions can stimulate interesting debate by centering the discussion around more sensitive (or even divisive issues). It’s important to make sure the moderator and the panelists are comfortable with this type of debate before the panel begins.
Examples of controversial questions to ask during a panel discussion include…
- What’s a commonly held belief in this field that you strongly disagree with, and why?
- If you could debunk one common myth about your work, what would it be?
- What would you say to critics of [specific aspect of the field/topic]?
Closing Questions
This category may overlap with the types of questions above. However, the focus here is to get the panelists and the audience focused on what they can take away from the session. Try to encourage quick answers and center on applying what has been learned.
Examples of closing questions to ask during a panel discussion include…
- What is one key takeaway you hope the audience leaves with today?
- What question do you wish more people would ask about this topic?
- What’s one piece of advice you would give your younger self when starting in this field?
- What role can the audience play in driving change in [topic/field]?
How to Craft Memorable & Impactful Panel Questions
Creating a great set of questions for a panel takes time and a strategic approach. Follow these steps to give your panel the best shot at sticking in your audience’s minds:
1. Establish the Goal of the Panel
Clarify with your organizing team and/or moderator what the discussion is aiming to achieve. Are you exploring new research findings, actively solving problems, or inspiring opportunities for collaboration? The goal of the discussion should guide how you draft your questions, as well as who you ask to sit on the panel. So, focus on this first.
2. Conduct Thorough Research
Before drafting questions, it’s important to understand the panelists you’ve invited and their perspectives. You should also have a basic grasp of the subject matter and a good idea of who will be sitting in the audience of the panel. All of this info will help you ensure your questions are relevant to the viewers and informed by the current research.
Great moderators fully understand the context of the discussion that they are guiding. The more familiar you can be with the topic, the better, especially if the audience members are likely to know quite a bit as well. Other topics to research could include: reading reviews of the speakers’ published pieces, finding updates on trends in the industry, or finding relevant blogs on the topic.
3. Regroup & Align with Speakers
While recruiting panelists, discuss the goals of the session with them. This alignment will ensure everyone is prepared and on the same page. They may even give you good ideas for questions during early discovery interviews with them. So, keep an ear out.
4. List Potential Panel Questions
Start by brainstorming a wide range of questions that cover the session’s key themes. Allow the ideas to flow freely and write everything down that comes to mind (it may even be helpful to start this process during the research phase - as questions are likely to be inspired by that research). Don’t worry about how questions are phrased or what order they’re in at this stage. Just get them on the page. You can do the refining in later stages!
5. Organize and Sequence the Questions
Look at your list of questions from the last step and begin to arrange them in logical order. A good strategy is to follow this sequence:
- Personal/Ice-breakers: Start with light, personal questions to put the panelists at ease and engage the audience.
- Thought-Provoking/Open-Ended/Controversial: Transition to deeper questions that spark discussion, invite diverse perspectives, or address key challenges in the topic.
- Closing/Takeaways: End with reflective or summary questions that encourage panelists to share actionable insights or final thoughts.
This order mirrors the flow of a natural conversation and helps maintain audience interest throughout the discussion.
6. Craft a Strong Opening and Closing Question
From your list, pick your strongest opening and closing questions. Then think about them both in depth: What is the approach for each? Who will be the first panelist you ask for each? The first panelist to speak will have a big impact on the tone of the rest of the panel, so it’s important to consider that in your planning.
For your opening question: Think about what might be the most engaging, yet straightforward one. How do you want to set the tone for the rest of the discussion?
For your closing question: Think about how to end the discussion in a meaningful way. Make this final question brief so that the panel doesn’t ramble on for several more minutes. Don’t forget to make a note to thank your speakers and audience after the final question.
7. Review and Refine the Questions (and Save Some for Backup)
Narrow your list of questions down to around 2-3 questions per panelist (depending how much time you have). Don’t delete the others! It’s worth keeping a list of backup questions just in case the audience isn’t as curious as you’d hoped or the discussion runs much faster than expected.
Polish the questions that are left for clarity, relevance, and variety. Make sure the audience can easily understand them and that you know why they should care about the answers to each. If possible, ask a friend or colleague to review the list of questions and give some feedback.
8. Plan for Audience Interaction
Incorporate questions or moments that encourage audience input. Running live polls or allowing questions via Q&A platforms are both great ways to do this. If great questions come in from the audience, be prepared to sacrifice some of your planned questions in favor of the Q&A. “We have a question from the audience” is a sure hook to keep people interested in the session and feeling like their input matters.
9. Host a Tech Rehearsal & Pre-Panel Discussion
If possible, run through the planned questions with your panelists in advance so they have a bit of warning about where the discussion will go. Ask if they have any questions or concerns about the list that you’ve presented, and do your best to understand what type of discussion they’re comfortable with (i.e. debate or friendly or a mix).
Creating Inclusive Panel Discussions and More Accessible Interactions
Offering options for virtual event attendance, live transcripts, and closed captioning can ensure that your panel discussions are more accessible to all participants. Recordings with translations after the event can also support learning and inclusion for groups beyond the language your panel was hosted in.
In general, a moderator can keep the discussion inclusive to a variety of audience members by remaining neutral (i.e. avoiding taking sides and respecting the perspectives of all the panelists equally) and mixing in audience questions throughout the panel. Using engagement tools like polls and Q&A can make everyone feel like they’re a part of the conversation.
Fast Answers to Your Panel Discussion FAQs
- How can I encourage audience engagement during a panel discussion?
Use live polling, Q&A tools, or audience shout-outs to make the discussion interactive. Conference management software can help with this.
- How can I avoid common pitfalls in panel discussion moderation?
Prepare thoroughly, keep questions concise, and tactfully redirect off-topic responses.
- How can I handle off-topic questions?
Acknowledge the question, tie it back to the main topic with an important takeaway for the audience, or address it briefly before refocusing.
- How can I ensure all panelists feel heard and respected?
Balance speaking time, actively involve quieter panelists, and validate all contributions.
- How can I formulate engaging questions for a diverse audience?
Consider the audience’s backgrounds and craft questions that resonate across different perspectives. Review your questions with a variety of people before that panel.
Conclusion: Driving Meaningful Discussion
A well-executed panel discussion can transform an event from ordinary to extraordinary. By prioritizing thoughtful preparation, crafting impactful questions, and fostering inclusivity, moderators can create a space for meaningful dialogue that resonates with both panelists and audiences.
Whether virtual or in-person, a successful panel hinges on a balance of guiding conversations with great questions and encouraging audience engagement. With the right approach and a commitment to thoughtful planning, your next panel discussion is sure to be a highlight of your conference program.
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