Discussions Fuel a Conference; Questions Fuel Discussion

Conferences are events at which people converse. That is, people talk with each other, learn from each other, enjoy interacting with each other. Performances are events at which the audience watches the performers. Balisage is a conference, not a series of performances. At Balisage , like at most conferences, speakers give presentations. Those presentations are interesting and valuable in and of themselves. But the active discussion after the presentations is the real point. That discussion, based on the content of the presentation, is fueled and shaped by questions and comments. This is why it is important that at Balisage we think carefully about the questions we ask. Good questions prompt the speaker(s) to expand on interesting points, allow the speaker to clarify, to extend, and to explain. Good comments support the speaker. It is important that we refrain from asking questions that demean the speaker, minimize the content of the presentation, or that are designed to show off the questioner’s knowledge at the expense of the speaker. At Balisage we allow substantial time for questions and discussion after each talk and at the beginning and end of each day. Please help us make Balisage lively, interesting, and interactive by crafting questions that lead to lively and interesting interactions.