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These are the conclusions that we have drawn so far from the evaluation of previous Small Talk events by questioning event participants, organisers and speakers. We will be using the results of this evaluation in future Small Talk events and hope that other event organisers will draw upon them for examples of good practice.
Small Talk held its first event, ‘Nanotechnology: can something so tiny promise something so big?’ on Monday 1 November 2004, at the Royal Institution in London. 150 people attended the event, which was targeted at adults. After an introduction by the chair, each of the three speakers gave 10-15 minute presentations, allowing 30 minutes for audience discussion at the end.
o Speakers should be well briefed. It’s important that there is a dialogue between speakers and organisers beforehand to ensure that everyone is clear about the aims of the Small Talk events, that the scientific level of the presentations are appropriate to the audience and that duplication of material by different speakers is minimised. It might be helpful to give an indication of the audience’s understanding of nanotechnologies and guidance on good practice in presenting nanotechnologies - using everyday examples, existing applications, simple descriptions and explanations and avoiding use of scientific jargon for instance. The time allocated to each speaker should also be made clear and speakers warned that the chair will enforce this!
o The framing of the debates is important. Speakers’ presentations and the topics chosen for discussion should have more common threads and focus to avoid confusion and reflect the interests of audiences. A clearer context for each discussion may make it easier for audiences to engage whatever their level of scientific understanding.
o The role of the chair is important, perhaps more so in Small Talk events than those not included in a similar programme. By introducing Small Talk to audiences and explaining its aims and objectives, the chair of an event can help to frame to debate and encourage participants to share their views. In future, the chair could also possibly outline the science of nanotechnologies — avoiding the risk of expert speakers misjudging the level of knowledge of the audience. The chair’s role is also important in keeping speakers to time and facilitating open discussion.
o Discussion amongst audience members was valuable. In the event, audience members were given the opportunity to discuss the presentations with their neighbour before questions or comments were taken. This format was useful in allowing each participant to get the chance to discuss their interests and concerns with at least one other person and to think about these issues before open discussion takes place.