Eight people sit down with one question to discuss. Twenty minutes later, two are doing most of the talking, while a few others have started a separate conversation. It is a familiar problem at roundtables, and it is usually easier to address in the planning than halfway through the session.
Group size, shared interests and good moderation all help people contribute. Get those right and a roundtable discussion gives attendees room to compare experiences, ask specific questions and meet useful peers. This guide covers the format, how to assign places and how to run a session people can build on afterwards.
What is a roundtable discussion?
A roundtable discussion is a moderated small group conversation in which six to eight participants of equal standing discuss one defined topic, with no audience and no designated speakers. Unlike a panel, every seat at the table is expected to contribute, and the moderator’s job is to distribute airtime, not to present.
The name describes the idea. At a round table there is no head of the table, so nobody holds a position of authority by where they sit. Merriam-Webster defines a roundtable as “a conference for discussion or deliberation by several participants” and lists “round table” as the less common variant of the same word. Both spellings are correct; the single word form is the standard in event programmes.
At B2B conferences and trade shows, roundtables usually appear in four forms:
- Topic roundtables: parallel tables in one room, each on its own question, often in an afternoon slot after the keynote programme.
- Executive roundtables: closed, invitation only tables for senior decision makers, frequently hosted by a sponsor.
- Buyer roundtables: tables where hosted buyers at a tourism trade show or workshop discuss their needs with a small group of suppliers or destination representatives.
- Investor roundtables: sector tables at a startup conference, where a handful of investors and founders discuss one market before booking one to one meetings.
The format is the same in all four. What changes is who sits at the table, and that is where the design work lies.
Roundtable, panel, workshop, breakout: what is the difference?
The difference becomes clear once you ask two questions of every format: is there an audience, and who is expected to talk? A panel has an audience and a few speakers. A roundtable has no audience and expects everyone to speak. The table below separates the formats that most often get confused on a conference agenda.
| Format | Typical size | Audience? | Who talks | What it produces |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roundtable discussion | 6 to 8 plus moderator | No | Everyone, in turn | Shared insight, new contacts, follow up meetings |
| Panel discussion | 3 to 5 speakers plus moderator | Yes, often 50 to 500 | The panellists | Expert opinion for the audience |
| Workshop | 10 to 30 | No | Facilitator and group | A defined output: a plan, a draft, a decision |
| Breakout session | 20 to 100 | Yes | One or two speakers, then Q&A | Deeper content on a sub topic |
| Campfire session | 15 to 20 | Partly | Speaker opens, then the circle | Informal exchange around one expert |
Keep the distinction from a panel clear. Seating speakers at a round table does not make the session a roundtable if everyone else only listens. Here, each participant needs a chance to contribute. Long presentations by individual guests leave less time for that exchange.
Why roundtables are growing in 2026
That quiet participant is exactly who conference organisers are now designing for. Forrester’s Q1 2026 State of B2B Events Survey, based on 400 event decision makers, found that two thirds of organisations plan more workshops, roundtables and structured networking at their events, while only 18 per cent plan more large hosted events.
The shift in 2026
Attendees want conversations, not more sessions
The RainFocus figures come from the platform’s own benchmark data and a survey of around 100 event and marketing professionals, so read them as a direction rather than a census. The direction is consistent, though: attendees are skipping presentations and spending the time in conversations. Cvent’s 2026 trend report makes the same point in plainer words: “Ten highly engaged attendees learning from one another” can be worth more than a packed room.
Give roundtables a deliberate place in the programme, with enough time for people to settle into the discussion. If peer exchange is one of your event’s main purposes, the timetable should reflect it.
How many people should sit at a roundtable?
We recommend six to eight participants plus a moderator as a practical starting point. It is a planning guideline, not a fixed limit. Research on spontaneous conversations helps explain the challenge: Robin Dunbar and colleagues found that groups tended to split when more than about four people were involved (Dunbar et al., Human Nature, 1995). Later work by Krems, Dunbar and colleagues describes this as the “dinner party problem”.
You may recognise that pattern from a dinner with eight guests: two conversations gradually develop at opposite ends of the table. A moderator can help keep the discussion together by connecting contributions and inviting one person to speak at a time. Lowry and colleagues also found higher communication quality in groups of three than in groups of six (Small Group Research, 2006), which supports keeping discussion groups manageable.
Other guides suggest larger groups: Cvent recommends six to twelve, and Participedia ten to twelve. Consider the time available before adding seats. With twelve people in a 60-minute slot, each gets only a few minutes even before introductions and a summary. Our rule of thumb:
- Four to five without a moderator, if the goal is informal exchange.
- Six to eight with a moderator, for a real roundtable discussion.
- Above eight, split the group and run two tables on the same topic.
For a popular topic, consider adding tables. Twenty registrations could become three smaller discussions rather than one crowded group.
Who sits where: the seating is the real design work
Next, consider who could learn from one another. Letting people choose a seat at the door is simple, but it can leave people with similar questions at opposite ends of the room. Using interests gathered during registration gives you a better chance of bringing them together.
Picture the programme lead of a 300 person B2B conference planning twelve roundtables for the afternoon. She has the registration data: job titles, company size, the topics people ticked. That is enough to build a seating plan that works, if she uses it. A sensible assignment follows three rules:
- Mix the sides of the market: at a buyer roundtable, no more than two suppliers per table, so buyers do not feel sold to. At an investor roundtable, investors and founders in a ratio that keeps both sides interested.
- Match on the topic, not on the title: two people who both chose “entering the German market” have more to say to each other than two people who both have “Director” in their title.
- Consider competition: Direct competitors may be reluctant to discuss sensitive topics together. Check whether the proposed group suits the question you want them to explore.
A seating plan and name cards turn those choices into a clear arrangement on the day. Allow time to prepare them and some flexibility for cancellations or changed interests. The aim is to give the people at each table a useful reason to talk.
Converve can support the one-to-one meetings that follow a roundtable. Participants add their interests, segment and role to a profile, and you define the rules for suggested contacts. They can then request follow-up meetings with people they met at the table. Accepted appointments appear in available slots in both agendas, giving the conversation a place to continue.
How to run a roundtable discussion in seven steps
With the size and the seating settled, the session itself follows a clear sequence. The programme lead from the previous section works through it for each of her twelve tables, and so should you.
Run sheet
A roundtable discussion in seven steps
- Step 1 Define one question Not a topic but a question the table can answer, for example: how do we qualify buyers before a trade show?
- Step 2 Choose the format Open topic table, executive roundtable, buyer or investor roundtable.
- Step 3 Set size and table count Six to eight seats per table; divide sign ups by eight and round up.
- Step 4 Assign the seats Use registration data: mix the market sides, match on topic, separate competitors.
- Step 5 Brief the moderator Three prepared prompts, a rule for airtime and a note on who is at the table.
- Step 6 Run the clock Short introductions, 45 to 60 minutes of discussion, five minutes for takeaways.
- Step 7 Capture and follow up One note taker, a summary within 48 hours and bookable follow up meetings.
The question matters more than the topic
“Sustainability in events” is a topic. “Which sustainability claim would your sponsors actually pay for?” is a question. Topics produce statements; questions produce answers. Write the question on the table card, so that everyone who sits down knows what they signed up for.
The moderator distributes airtime
A roundtable moderator is not a speaker. Their job is to open with the question, invite each person to answer in turn in the first round, and then steer the discussion towards disagreements, because that is where the table learns something. Social Tables recommends keeping introductions to two to five minutes and topic introductions to five minutes or less. Three prepared follow up prompts help when the conversation stalls. A good brief also tells the moderator who is at the table, so they can invite the quiet procurement head by name.
Plan the capacity like a timetable
The capacity follows from simple arithmetic. With 120 participants and eight seats per table, you need 15 tables and 15 moderators. If you run two rounds so that each participant can join two topics, you need either 15 moderators who stay for both rounds or 30 moderator slots. For a room layout, allow round tables of 150 to 180 centimetres in diameter and enough space between them that one lively table does not drown out the next. If the arithmetic reminds you of rotation planning, the logic is the same one we describe in our guide to speed networking at B2B events, only with longer rounds and fewer changes.
After the table: capture, measure, follow up
The discussion ends after an hour; its value only starts to show a week later. Three things decide whether a roundtable was worth the slot.
First, capture the results. Ask one person to note the main answers and open questions, then send the group a short summary within 48 hours. This gives participants something to refer to when they share an idea with colleagues or follow up on an agreed next step.
Second, review the experience. Look at attendance against registrations, how many people stayed until the end, their feedback and any follow-up meetings. Read these measures together: a useful discussion can produce new understanding even when nobody books another appointment.
Third, make it easy to continue. Letting people arrange a follow-up before they leave saves them another task later. For the programme lead, those meetings are one useful sign of what the roundtables started. Our networking event ideas can help you choose formats to place before and after the discussions.
Frequently asked questions
What is a roundtable discussion?
A roundtable discussion is a moderated small group conversation in which six to eight participants of equal standing discuss one defined topic, without an audience and without designated speakers. Every participant is expected to contribute, and the moderator distributes the airtime.
Is it roundtable or round table discussion?
Both are correct. Merriam-Webster lists “roundtable” as the main entry and “round table” as a less common variant. In event programmes, “roundtable discussion” is the more common spelling.
What is the difference between a roundtable and a panel discussion?
A panel has a small group of speakers and an audience that listens. A roundtable has no audience: all six to eight participants are expected to speak, and the moderator’s role is to give everyone the floor rather than to question experts.
How many people should be at a roundtable?
Six to eight participants plus a moderator. Research on conversation size (Dunbar et al., 1995) shows that unmoderated conversations split once they exceed about four speakers, so larger tables need a moderator or should be divided into two tables on the same topic.
How long should a roundtable discussion last?
For a conference roundtable, 45 to 60 minutes of discussion works well, plus a few minutes for introductions and five minutes at the end for takeaways. Executive roundtables with a meal often run 90 minutes to two hours.
How do you prepare for a roundtable discussion?
As an organiser, define one concrete question, assign the seats based on registration data, and brief the moderator with three prompts and a list of who is at the table. As a participant, read the question in advance and prepare one example or number from your own work to share.
Conclusion: the table decides before anyone speaks
A good roundtable gives a manageable group time to explore a specific question, with a moderator who makes room for everyone. Use registration to identify shared interests and finish with a short record of the main insights. That helps participants take the discussion back into their own work.
To connect roundtables with scheduled one-to-one meetings, get in touch with Converve. You can also explore our B2B matchmaking for trade shows, associations and conferences.
