7 Interactive Session Formats for Modern Conferences

Recall how you spent your time in university? You go to class. You sit there and listen to professors talk for an hour and scribble down as many notes as possible. And then you leave without knowing whether you learned anything from that class. 

Now think about the classes that felt a little different. Think about the lab sessions where you got to do the experimenting yourself, rather than just listening to someone else talk about what they did. The seminar classes which required you to contribute with your voice. The sessions where debate was normal, and people challenged ideas without it turning into chaos. You usually walked out of those feeling more active and remembered the content because you were part of it.

That contrast is worth keeping in mind when you are brainstorming interactive conference ideas. In this blog, we’ll share some of the most effective interactive session formats you can use to keep people engaged and involved.

1. Roundtable Discussions

Most individuals who attend long lectures and packed agendas will inevitably leave with unanswered questions and unspoken ideas. On the other hand, the roundtable provides an environment for people to share their thoughts and ideas without a lecture-style format.

In academic settings, roundtable session formats work well as there is rarely complete research or clear conclusions. Researchers are always testing theories, challenging methodologies, and attempting to understand how their current work relates to other areas of study. A roundtable allows an individual to present a half-baked idea and receive thoughtful feedback.

Graduate students can express their views equally among senior researchers, within the same circle, without fear of being perceived as an interruption to a keynote speaker. Over time, the roundtable setting alters the power dynamics between participants in a very positive manner.

How to organize it:

• • Maintain a small number of participants in your group so everyone will have the opportunity to share their thoughts without feeling rushed.
  • Avoid topics that call for formal presentations.
  • Make sure the seating arrangement of the room allows for eye contact and for engaging in open conversations.
  • Have someone lead the conversation so it remains on track and avoids drifting off or stalling.
  • Share a few starter questions ahead of time to help people arrive prepared.

2. Fishbowl Sessions

A fishbowl meeting is a discussion format where a small number of people sit and talk, while the rest of the participants watch and listen. It’s built for situations where you want a conversation to happen without everyone in the room interrupting each other at once. Virtual sessions are also possible using Zoom.

Typically, there are fewer seats (about 4-8) in the inner circle, so the conversation stays concentrated. The outer circle can be much bigger, making it easy for many people to follow along.

Here’s how it works. People in the inner circle will discuss a topic they agreed on, often using a few starter questions. Everyone sitting in the outer circle will observe and listen to the conversation as it unfolds.

How to organize it:

Create the space for a productive conversation: Place 4 to 6 chairs in the inner circle and place the rest in a wider circle around them, all facing inward.

Pick the first voices: Start with 3 to 5 people who bring different angles, because a fishbowl with one perspective is just a long monologue.

Leave one seat open: Let everyone know that the available chair will be used to enter the conversation (no raising hands or interruptions)

Watch for the “same three people” problem: If the inner circle stops rotating, invite new voices directly and remind the group that the available seat is there for a reason.

Use one strong prompt to start the conversation: Put forth one question to begin the discussion, then add a second only if the discussion starts to loop or drift.

Close with synthesis: Ask the last group of speakers in the inner circle to list the top takeaways. Then, briefly ask each member of the outer circle to provide a one-sentence reflection regarding the discussion.

3. Live Polling Sessions

Live polling is one of the easiest ways for a presenter to engage the people in the room. It breaks the traditional “I talk, and you listen” setup and turns the session into a two way exchange. 

Live polls let the presenter gauge audience understanding in real time, ensuring the message is delivered as intended. Academic and research sessions are a perfect fit for this because disagreement is normal, and nuance matters. For example, a poll can quickly show the audience’s level of agreement with a theory, method, or result, giving the speaker a better idea of what to explain next.

How to organize it:

• • People should be able to join with a link or a QR code.
  • Polling early on (within the first five minutes) sends an immediate message that the session is going to be interactive.
  • Share with all participants what the room has voted as the results of each poll, so the data becomes part of the conversation.
  • If the results are surprising or split, stop for a moment and allow the speaker or moderator to dig into the reason.
  • Use a few polls, not too many. Typically, two or three well-placed polls will provide enough engagement to maintain interest and keep the presentation flowing. 
  • Don’t ask yes or no prompts. Instead, ask questions where users can express different opinions or experiences.
  • End with one final poll. Use a question that ties back to your central event theme to give the session a sense of direction at its end.

4. Simulation or role-play sessions

Simulation or role-play sessions push individuals to move from a passive to a decision-making role. During the simulation, participants will be asked to assume a specific role and respond to real-world problems unfolding before them. 

That could mean playing the role of a researcher defending a research proposal, an emergency response team, or a team attempting to resolve a complex case with limited data. As soon as someone is required to choose their next course of action, the learning becomes experiential for that individual.

How to organize it:

• • Use situations that people in the room might actually face in real time.
  • Assign each individual or team a specific role to understand their responsibilities throughout the simulation.
  • Add new data or challenges during the simulation, and then have the participants respond to these changes.
  • Let people struggle a little so the learning feels earned.
  • Encourage participants to connect their experiences with what they will experience after the conference.

5. Gamification and Challenges

Ever notice how people get excited about doing something as opposed to just watching it? Gamification is why onsite and virtual event attendees are more engaged. It obviously boosts engagement along with a few sneaky perks, like better attendee data and more natural networking moments.

People’s attention spans aren’t doing great either. So, you need something that cuts through the clutter and gives users a reason to participate. According to some studies, gamification can also increase user engagement by as much as 48%, which is pretty hard to ignore when you’re trying to make people stop swiping or scrolling and engage with what you have to offer.

Some gamification ideas include:

QR hunts: People scan barcodes around booths and rooms to earn points or unlock clues.

Photo challenges: Attendees snap pics or short videos with speakers or event areas and share them in the event app or on socials.

Session hunts: Attendees view session content as they are searching for a code or a word that is displayed on a slide.

Networking bingo: Attendees receive cards with simple networking challenges (bingo), such as “meet one person” or “meet a person from another country.”

AR hunts: Using a mobile phone, attendees reveal hidden virtual objects throughout the event space, which turns the environment into a fun place to discover.

6. Birds of a Feather Sessions

Birds of a Feather sessions (BoFs) are informal gatherings of people with similar interests, at which there is no formal agenda. In BoFs, groups of like minded people sit together to discuss a shared topic.

A BoF could grow from a conference session where people want to continue the discussion after it ends. Sometimes, it gets serious and turns into a deep dive on a project or a research problem. Other times, it is more casual, like people bonding over a shared hobby, favorite coffee, or something totally unexpected. 

How to organize it:

• • Choose one clearly defined subject matter that is easy to understand for all participants.
  • Start with one strong starter question that will generate quick responses from attendees.
  • Assign a moderator who can monitor time and allow the group to move forward without turning the session into a class.
  • Share the topic early in the agenda or the mobile event app. 
  • If one person begins to dominate the conversation, step in and limit their participation, and keep the group balanced.
  • Conclude by providing a brief summary of your session. 

7. Lightning talks with live voting

Lightning talks with live voting work well in a conference because they compress a lot of thinking into a short burst of energy. Presenters have only a couple of minutes to make their case, share a result, or pitch an idea. As a result, lightning talks keep everything moving quickly and do not allow for lengthy explanations.

The voting results, over time, will create a pattern showing the most popular subjects and which subjects were unclear. For the speaker, it creates something concrete to respond to, rather than guessing how they delivered the information.

How to organize it:

• • Develop a logical, easy-to-follow sequence of speakers by collecting topics and grouping them prior to the event.
  • Keep the time for each speaker limited to not allow anyone to tell a lengthy story during their allotted speaking time.
  • Utilize an instant, live-voting or poll tool that does not require users to download additional software.
  • Show the voting results on screen after each talk, which makes the room feel instantly connected.
  • Let the highest rated talks earn a short follow-up slot or a deeper discussion at the end.
  • Inform attendees that the voting is to help identify those talks that are most engaging and clear to attendees.

Final Thoughts

One of the many things you learn when attending hundreds of meeting rooms, filling and then emptying, is that people no longer attend meetings to simply sit and look at slides. They show up because they want to think out loud, test ideas, and feel like their time in your event was worth something. Interactive session formats do exactly that. 

If you want to plan a more interactive conference without guessing your way through it, book a free demo with Dryfta and talk to the team for practical, professional help tailored to your event setup.