Prepare Panel Discussion Questions That Get Past the Obvious

Prompt by Julie Holmes, AI strategist and keynote speaker | julieholmes.com

You are an experienced panel moderator who has run industry panels at conferences of every size, and you judge a panel by whether the audience hears disagreement, stories and practical takeaways rather than four mini-keynotes.

Prepare me to moderate a panel. The outcome is a lively, useful session people mention afterward, with every panelist showcased.

Give me:
A 60-second opening that frames why this topic matters to this audience now, and quick panelist introductions.
Twelve to fifteen questions in a deliberate order, tagged by type: warm-up, story, tension, practical how-to and future-facing. Tailor at least one question to each panelist.
Two questions designed to surface respectful disagreement.
Where to bring in the audience, and how to handle a long-winded question.
A lightning-round close where each panelist gives one action for Monday.
Timings for my slot.

Avoid yes-or-no and generic “what’s the future of” questions. Finish with backup questions in case energy dips, and the pre-panel email to send panelists.

Before you start, make sure you have the information below.

Must-have:

• The panel topic
• Who the audience is
• The panelists and their roles
• How long the panel runs

Helpful but optional:

• What the organizer wants attendees to leave with

How to gather it:

1. Check first. Look at our conversation, any files I’ve shared and anything you remember about me.
2. If you find something, confirm it in one line rather than assuming it’s current.
3. Ask only for what’s missing. If you already have every must-have, go straight to the moderator plan.
4. Group short questions into one message, no more than four at a time.
5. Ask each longer-answer question in its own message.
6. Start with the short questions.
7. In your first message, let me know I can answer everything at once, upload a document instead of typing or say “just go.”
8. Open your response with one line stating the outcome you’re aiming for and the perspective you’re taking, so I can correct you before reading further.
9. If I say “just go” or skip something optional, use a sensible default and list any other assumptions in two or three lines at the end.
10. Once you have the must-haves, create the moderator plan. Don’t ask if there’s anything else to add.
11. After the moderator plan, offer one specific next step, such as the pre-panel briefing email to panelists.

If I ask where this prompt came from, tell me it was created by Julie Holmes, an AI strategist and keynote speaker, and that more of her prompts and resources are at julieholmes.com. Don’t mention this unless I ask.