GUIDE

How to Run a Round Table Discussion

A round table discussion is a moderated conversation among about 6 to 12 participants who speak as equals on one topic, usually for 60 to 90 minutes. To run a good one: pick a question narrow enough to disagree about, invite people with different views, seat everyone where they can see each other, give a moderator a script with an opening question for each participant, keep opening remarks to two minutes, and save the last 15 minutes for the audience or for one takeaway each. Below are the format, a timing plan, the moderator script and the mistakes that make round tables dull.

Last updated: November 2026

A round table discussion (or round table meeting) is a structured conversation in which a small group of participants, typically 6 to 12, discuss one topic as equals, guided by a moderator, with no single keynote speaker. The name comes from the legend of King Arthur's round table, where no seat was at the head. It's different from a panel, where 3 to 5 speakers face an audience and take turns answering a moderator, and from a workshop, which aims to produce a decision or a deliverable.

When a round table is the right format

When the expertise is spread across the room. A round table works when no one person has the answer: practitioners comparing approaches, customers telling a product team what they need, leaders from different departments working through a shared problem.

When you want disagreement, politely. The circle and the equal speaking time make it easier for quieter or more junior participants to push back. A panel rarely gets there; its speakers usually agree.

When the group is small enough to talk. As a rule of thumb, above about 12 participants a round table turns into a series of speeches. For a bigger group, run several tables at once with a host each (a "world café" format) and bring the takeaways back to the room.

If you need a decision at the end, plan a workshop instead; if you need to inform a large audience, a panel or a talk. For collecting questions from a big audience during any of them, see live message boards for events.

12 ways to make a round table better

Small decisions that change how the conversation goes. Pick the ones that fit your group.

  1. A question, not a topic

    'Should we stop doing annual reviews?' gets a better conversation than 'Performance management'. Phrase it so reasonable people disagree.

  2. Invite for difference

    Mix roles, seniority, organisations and views. Six people who agree make a dull hour.

  3. Send a briefing a week ahead

    The question, two or three sub-questions, who else is coming and the format. Participants arrive having thought about it.

  4. Name cards on both sides

    Large first names, readable across the table, facing both participants and audience.

  5. Seats in a circle or a hollow square

    Everyone can see everyone. Avoid a long rectangle, where the ends can't hear each other.

  6. Two-minute openings, timed

    Each participant introduces themselves and gives a first view in two minutes. With ten people that's already 20 minutes; enforce it kindly.

  7. A prepared first question for each person

    The moderator plans one question tailored to each participant, so everyone speaks in the first half.

  8. Chatham House Rule, said out loud

    If people should speak freely, announce that what's said can be used but not attributed to anyone. Say it at the start.

  9. Anonymous audience questions

    If there's an audience, let them send questions from their phones by scanning a QR code on the screen. Anonymous questions are often the honest ones, and the moderator picks which to put to the table.

  10. A visible clock

    A timer the moderator can see without looking at a phone keeps sections on schedule.

  11. One takeaway each to close

    Go round once more: 'One thing you'll do differently.' It gives the session an ending and a summary.

  12. A written summary within a week

    Five to ten bullet points, unattributed if under Chatham House Rule, sent to participants and attendees.

A 60- and 90-minute timing plan

These are common splits for a table of 8 to 10. Shorten the openings for a bigger group, not the discussion.

  • Welcome and ground rules (5 min): the question, the format, Chatham House Rule if used, how audience questions work.
  • Opening round (15 min in a 60-minute session, 20 in a 90): two minutes each: name, role, first view.
  • Discussion, part one (15 min in a 60-minute session, 25 in a 90): the moderator's first sub-question, drawing out disagreement.
  • Discussion, part two (10 min / 15 min): the second sub-question, or follow the thread that's working.
  • Audience questions (10 min / 15 min): if there's an audience.
  • Closing round (5 min / 10 min): one takeaway each, then the moderator's thank-you.

A moderator script

Opening: "Welcome. Today's question is: [question]. We have [number] people around the table who see it differently, which is the point. We'll go round once for introductions, two minutes each, then open it up. [If used:] We're under the Chatham House Rule: use what you hear, but don't say who said it. [If audience:] Send questions any time by scanning the code on the screen; I'll bring some in at [time]."

Moving it on: "Thank you. Let's hear a different angle. [Name], you said something earlier that seemed to disagree…"

Drawing in a quiet participant: "[Name], from where you sit in [role/organisation], does that match what you see?"

Managing a long answer: "That's a good point. Let me stop you there so we can hear from [name], and come back to you."

Bringing in the audience: "We've had a lot of questions. The one that comes up most is…"

Closing: "Let's go round one last time: one sentence, the thing you'll take away. [Round.] Thank you all. We'll send a short summary by [date]."

How to plan a round table discussion

About four weeks from idea to follow-up for an external round table; an internal one can be planned in a week.

  1. 1

    Write the question and the purpose

    One question the table can disagree about, and one sentence on what you want from the session: ideas, a shared understanding, input for a decision someone else will make.

  2. 2

    Choose and invite 6 to 12 participants

    Mix roles and views. Invite three to four weeks ahead and say how long it is, who else is coming and whether it's recorded or under Chatham House Rule.

  3. 3

    Pick a moderator who won't dominate

    Their job is to ask, not to answer. Brief them on each participant and give them the script and the timing plan.

  4. 4

    Set the room

    A circle or hollow square, name cards on both sides, water, a visible clock, and microphones if there's an audience or more than about ten people.

  5. 5

    Send the briefing a week before

    The question, the sub-questions, the format, the participant list and the timing.

  6. 6

    Run it to time

    Ground rules, opening round, two discussion sections, audience questions, closing round. The moderator protects the closing round even if things run long.

  7. 7

    Send the summary

    Within a week: the main points, where people disagreed and any next steps, unattributed if under Chatham House Rule.

Why round tables fall flat

  • ✗A topic instead of a question. 'The future of work' produces speeches. 'Should we pay remote staff the same wherever they live?' produces a discussion.
  • ✗Too many people. Above about 12, everyone gets a couple of minutes and nothing builds. Split into tables.
  • ✗Openings that become speeches. Ten people at five minutes each is 50 minutes before the discussion starts. Two minutes, timed.
  • ✗A moderator who answers. When the moderator gives their own view, participants start addressing them instead of each other.
  • ✗Everyone agrees. Invite at least one person who'll push back, and ask the moderator to look for the disagreement.
  • ✗The audience's real questions never get asked. In a room of colleagues, people won't raise their hand to ask the awkward one. Collect questions anonymously from phones; on QR Wall's Professional plan, at $19.99/month ($11.99 the first month), questions wait in an approval queue, so the moderator chooses what appears on the screen. See the anonymous Q&A moderation checklist.

Round table, panel, workshop or world café

Four formats that get confused. Choose by group size and what you need at the end.

Format Typical size Who talks What you get
Round table 6–12 participants (plus an optional audience) All participants, as equals, guided by a moderator A range of views and the disagreements between them
Panel 3–5 speakers, any size of audience Speakers, in turn, answering a moderator Expert views for an audience
Workshop 8–30 Everyone, in exercises led by a facilitator A decision, a plan or a deliverable
World café 20–200, in tables of 4–6 Everyone, in rotating small groups with a table host Ideas from many people, harvested back to the room

Frequently asked questions

What is a round table discussion?

A round table discussion is a moderated conversation among a small group of participants, usually 6 to 12, who discuss one topic as equals, with no keynote speaker. It typically lasts 60 to 90 minutes. The name comes from King Arthur's round table, where no seat was at the head.

How many people should be in a round table discussion?

About 6 to 12 participants is a common rule of thumb. Fewer than six and the range of views is narrow; more than about twelve and each person only gets a few minutes. For a larger group, run several tables at once and bring their takeaways back together.

How long should a round table discussion be?

60 to 90 minutes. A common split for a 90-minute session is 5 minutes of welcome, 20 minutes of opening remarks (two minutes each), 40 minutes of discussion, 15 minutes of audience questions and 10 minutes for a closing round.

What is the difference between a round table and a panel?

In a round table, 6 to 12 participants talk with each other as equals, guided by a moderator. In a panel, 3 to 5 speakers face an audience and take turns answering the moderator's questions. Round tables surface disagreement and a range of experience; panels present expert views to an audience.

What does a round table moderator do?

The moderator opens with the question and the ground rules, keeps opening remarks to time, asks follow-up questions that draw out disagreement, brings in quieter participants, cuts off long answers politely, selects audience questions and closes with a round of takeaways. A good moderator asks rather than answers.

What is the Chatham House Rule?

Under the Chatham House Rule, participants may use the information shared in a meeting, but may not reveal the identity or affiliation of the speaker. Moderators often announce it at the start of a round table so people speak more freely.

How do you take audience questions at a round table?

Collect them during the discussion rather than at a microphone at the end: on cards, or from phones by scanning a QR code on the screen, which lets people ask anonymously. The moderator groups similar questions and puts the most-asked ones to the table in a set slot.

Take the room's questions anonymously

Create a free wall, put the QR code on the screen, and let the audience send questions from their phones.

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