Panel formats
The information on this page can be used to understand the possibilities of the different formats and particularly how you might use the less-widely experienced asynchronous delivery within your panel.
If you have further questions please email the conference organisers.
1. Synchronous
Format
Traditionally face-to-face (F2F) conference panels deliver their content in a synchronous manner. Presenters give their presentations within the panel’s specified time, discussion follows and the panel ends.
While abstracts may remain online for years, the papers and discussion are not posted. Any further engagement relies on finding subsequent publications (not directly linked to from the panel/papers), or emails.
A virtual panel may follow the synchronous format.
Advantages
This approach brings a virtual panel closest to the F2F experience, where the energy and spontaneity can approach that of a F2F panel.
With only one audience and time, this shared communal experience may encourage a more dynamic exploration of themes and concepts than can be created asynchronously.
If connection/bandwidth is good for all, then there is no need to pre-record presentations.
Where sensitive data is being discussed, participants may prefer not to post discussion/presentations online before/after the conference.
Disadvantages
While this may be the most comfortable format when shifting to a virtual experience it fails to engage with the pros and cons of the virtual space. For example connection/bandwidth is not equally excellent for all colleagues, and things can always go badly on the day.
Some colleagues might be 12hrs apart from each other in terms of time zones and thus simply unable to participate live. Other colleagues might miss the panel because it’s at the same time as another panel they wish to attend.
A useful discussion/resource is restricted as to who can participate/benefit from it.
2. Asynchronous
Format
With the move to virtual conferences, it is possible to deliver panel content in an asynchronous manner. Presentations can be pre-recorded and embedded beneath the paper abstract and watched in advance of the conference, or perhaps left visible after.
Questions can be posted on the panel page and voted on, or responded to before, during and/or after the event. These questions could form the basis of, or a portion of, the live discussion.
The panel discussion can be recorded and embedded on the panel page. If questions are still possible on the panel page afterwards, then it allows follow-up to the presentations and the discussion.
A panel may utilise one or more of these possibilities.
Advantages
Pre-recording and embedding of presentations ahead of the conference enables delegates to digest panels at a lower intensity (online meeting fatigue is a thing!) or when convenient (time zones, caring responsibilities, clashing panels). It allows presenters to perfect their presentation (editing out errors) and ensures they keep to time.
It gives time for delegates to reflect on questions/responses to the papers. An initial Q&A could take place in text format on the panel page - and this may inform the live discussion time. Such panels might then not play the presentations during the panel time, so reducing the panel in length and dedicating it to the discussion/Q&A.
While requiring some prior commitment/time of panel participants, it allows the discussion to be more considered and focussed (reducing online fatigue, missing less of a co-timetabed panel, more flexibility about timing of the panel to meet time-zone requirements). The panelists could opt to record their discussion time and embed that on the panel page after the event, for wider engagement. The comments/questions feature could be left open for a couple of weeks after the event in order to continue discussions.
Disadvantages
Pre-recording presentations does require greater time input ahead of the event by presenters. It requires mastering some free recording tools - be it webcam capture, adding a narration to PowerPoint slides, or something more complex.
If presentations are not played during the session, it may mean that those attending the panel have NOT seen all the presentations (just as some students fail to do readings ahead of a class!), and that may limit discussion. Some spontaneity will be lost in the Q&A.
If the panel page question/comments are enabled, panelists will need to keep an eye on that in the weeks preceding and after the panel.
3. Mixed format
Panelists may find that while comfortable with the synchronous approach, some of these asynchronous possibilities are worth using. For example, presentations could be pre-recorded so as to play back during the live session. This might reduce bandwidth issue risks and be easier on the nerves!
The presenter might introduce their video live, and take questions after (live), but the presentation would be video playback. Such recordings could still be embedded in advance or posted up afterwards along with the discussion video.
Or the presentations could be left offline, but the panel discussion could be embedded. Or the whole panel could be posted up as a video afterwards. The question/comment feature could be enabled after the event, for subsequent engagement.
It is well worth panelists discussing which of these functions they make use of.
4. Panel pages
The NomadIT panel explorer serves f2f, hybrid and virtual conferences with possibilities for asynchronous content delivery and discussion, by offering:
- presentation video embeds
- panel video embeds
- question/comments for panels
The following screenshots illustrate how these appear.
Presentation video embedding
Presenters need to record their presentations and upload them to their own Youtube or Vimeo account. See our guide to pre-recording your presentation. Once uploaded they will need to take the share URL for that video and insert it into the paper details within our paper-edit page (once logged in). Abstracts with an embedded video will have a film icon next to their title throughout the panel explorer to make them easier to find; along with a filter indicating panels with video content.
Where a presenter has entered a Youtube or Vimeo video URL in their paper details it will be displayed as a button beneath the paper abstract(s).
Clicking the button allows the viewer to see the video embedded in the page, from where it can be viewed, expanded, etc..
Panel video embedding
Panel convenors and presenters should pay attention to the recording policy for the specific conference. Some conferences will record all panels (with an opt-out option), others will require opting-in to recording. Ordinarily, panel recordings appear beneath the panel abstracts about an hour after the panel session ends. Panels with embedded video content are identifiable in the panel explorer by a film icon.
Where the conference organisers have entered a Youtube or Vimeo video URL in the panel details it will be displayed as a button beneath the papers on the panel page.
Clicking the button allows the viewer to see the video embedded in the page, from where it can be viewed, expanded, etc..
Question/comments on panel page
Commenting may be enabled by default across a whole conference. If not, then panels can inform the conference organisers in advance if they wish their panel to use the question/comment solution. They will need to let the organisers know when the solution is to be enabled disabled. Please note that the commenting is a single space PER PANEL, not per paper. So if commenting on an individual paper within a panel, a user should identify which paper they are referring to.
If panel questions are enabled a button will show in the panel header. Click on that to jump down to the comments beneath the papers.
Type the question/comment into the box and click ‘Post comment’
The question has been posted and there are options for others to vote it up, or reply.
Click the small icon to see the questions in a pop-up window. This is useful if taking questions this way, while participating in a live Q&A environment.
The questions are displayed in a pop-up window, which can be dragged around the viewer’s desktop.
Who can see these embeds and comments?
The default will be that embedded videos and comments can only be accessed/used by registered, paid-up delegates. However, it is possible for the conference organisers to alter the settings for each of these - so presentations, panel video and/or comments could be made more widely visible after the conference. Abstracts with an embedded video will have a film icon next to their title throughout the panel explorer to make them easier to find; and there is a filter indicating panels with any video content.
How to remove recordings?
Presenters will control their own recordings. Removing the link in the paper-edit page removes the embed. (Presenters may also choose to remove the video from their YouTube/Vimeo account.)
Panel recordings will be stored on the conference organiser’s account, so if panel convenors wish those to be removed, they should email the organisers who can then remove the embed and possibly delete the video, too.
Similarly convenors should inform the conference organisers if they wish to disable the commenting, or hide it again.
