Panel Leader Skills
Leading a trained or untrained sensory panel requires a variety of technical and people skills.
Technical Skills:
- understand sensory testing, including what is required of a panelist, and how study design and logistics can impact the results.
- data analysis and interpretation for both studies and to monitor and maintain panel performance.
- computer skills, including familiarity with the needed software, data entry and analysis.
- attention to detail for thorough and accurate study records.
People Skills:
- communication: for example, trained panels frequently evaluate blind samples, to avoid context effects; the Panel Leader must communicate in a manner that insures both trust and commitment in an environment where panelists know little about the samples they evaluate.
- collaboration: working both with panelists and project teams, while being assertive to assure logistics are pragmatic/feasible.
- leadership: leading panelists in following appropriate procedures to ensure proper testing.
- teaching skills: including being comfortable with teaching to panelists with different kinds of learning styles, and handling interpersonal issues that sometimes arise among panelists.
- managing complexity and change, as there are often multiple studies at different stages at one time (planning, execution, analysis).
- agility: last minute study changes can happen frequently; Panel Leaders need to be able to respond quickly to even unexpected study needs.
