In the discussion about shear flow and stress, participants clarify that when calculating QB, the full area of the connected part should be used rather than just the red part. Using the center board simplifies the calculation by providing a single shear plane, avoiding the need to divide by two, which is necessary when using side boards. The dimensions of the boards play a crucial role, as using side boards can lead to incorrect results if they differ in size. The complexity increases in part b due to the direction of shear flow, requiring careful consideration of the area between nailed joints and the centroid's vertical distance to the neutral axis. Overall, understanding the geometry and shear planes is essential for accurate calculations in shear flow problems.