Perhaps it's the sense of gathering, but whatever the reason, conference panels are frequently the most memorable part of a trade show. These sessions lie somewhere between the rote stream of information in the technical sessions and the positioning found on the exhibition floor. A lot of a panel's punch, or lack of, is decided well before you or

I see the panelists talking. Asking the right question is essential, just as is getting a good mix of vociferous stumpers - certainly the latter was evident to anyone who stayed the last day at DAC 2000 to watch the "Emerging Companies Panel."

Thus, the following is a quick description of how a panel at DAC is put together and some of the guidelines that presenters must follow. Our editorial staff's intention is to illuminate the background work that goes into a panel and to suggest that understanding this might help you appreciate or analyze an event more thoroughly in the future.

The following information was taken from a document that the Executive Committee for DAC sends in response to all panel proposals for DAC 2001 and includes an initial comment from Lee Wood, the exhibit manager for DAC. Wood supplied us with information regarding the do's and don'ts of the proposal process for DAC 2001. Wood also offered some initial comments concerning acknowledgements, which can be a complex and emotional subject for panelists and hosts alike.

"Where [the] DAC [organization] lends its name or support to a function, then words such as ýsupported,' ýendorsed,' or ýsanctioned' are used. [The] three official DAC sponsors - the EDA Consortium, ACM/SIGDA, and the IEEE CAS-are very concerned about any other organization being perceived as a DAC sponsor. The DAC EC also, typically, won't allow DAC to be listed as a sponsor for any event that it doesn't directly organize. Currently, the EDA Business Forum is the only event that DAC co-sponsors, but doesn't organize."

DAC panel selection process

The DAC Program Committee determines which and how many panels are included in the DAC program, as well as their placement in the conference schedule. The Program Committee selects panels based on completeness and variety of the proposals and viewpoints, among other things.

The Panel Organizer: The organizer writes the proposal for the panel, selects, and confirms the participation of the moderator and panelist, and coordinates all panel activities with the DAC. The organizer does not appear on the dais at the conference unless the organizer is also the moderator or a panelist.

The Moderator: The panel moderator coordinates the content of the presentations, writes and submits the official panel summary (which will be printed in the conference proceedings), and manages the discussion during the panel presentation.

The Panelists: The panelists state their positions on the panel topic, and participate in the panel discussion and audience Q&A segment of the event.

Selecting your topic

Consider a theme, such as: Vendor versus User, Industry versus University, or Established Technology versus New Technology. The topic should be relevant to one or more segments of DAC attendees. These include: DA developers, designers and engineers who use DA, managers of DA developers and users, and members of the EDA industry. Remember, too, that many technical editors and analysts attend panel sessions.

Remember, panelists represent points of view, not companies. It's the responsibility of the organizer to choose panelists with differing, interesting viewpoints on the proposed topic. It's the task of the moderator to expose those viewpoints during the panel session.