One of the most important tasks for a meeting organizer and panel moderator to do is to create an appropriate structure and panel discussion formats. What's the difference? Consider the structure to be the essential framework of the panel discussion, (the tasks, the flow, and the timing) whereas the format gives it the shape, color, life, and energy.
Formats come in all kinds of shapes and sizes - the creativity is boundless! However, there are generally five types of formats that I have seen in the in-person and virtual world.