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Explorer—Shopper—Vacationer—Prisoner (ESVP)

A brief, anonymous check-in run at the start of the Retrospect Sprint Meeting to gauge participants' mindset and set the tone. Each attendee privately chooses the label that best matches their outlook: Explorer, Shopper, Vacationer, or Prisoner.

Key Points

  • Used at the beginning of the Retrospect Sprint Meeting to sense team mood and establish the meeting climate.
  • Anonymous by design to promote honesty; results can be tallied with dots, cards, or a quick digital poll.
  • Meanings: Explorer = eager to learn and discover; Shopper = wants a few useful takeaways; Vacationer = happy for a break, low investment; Prisoner = feels compelled to attend.
  • Facilitator uses the distribution to adapt the agenda, activities, and facilitation style to increase engagement.

Example

At the start of a Retrospect Sprint Meeting, the Scrum Master asks everyone to place an anonymous E, S, V, or P sticker on a board. Many choose V and P. Seeing low engagement, the Scrum Master shortens status talk, runs a quick check-in to surface blockers, and pairs a small group to address a recurring impediment before moving to improvement experiments.

PMP Example Question

At the kickoff of a Retrospect Sprint Meeting, the facilitator asks team members to anonymously choose Explorer, Shopper, Vacationer, or Prisoner. What is the primary purpose of this activity?

  1. Decide which product backlog items to include in the next sprint
  2. Assess participants' mindset to set the tone and tailor facilitation
  3. Estimate user stories using relative sizing
  4. Collect formal performance metrics for management reporting

Correct Answer: B — Assess participants' mindset to set the tone and tailor facilitation

Explanation: ESVP is a quick, anonymous check-in used at the start of the retrospective to understand attendee attitudes and guide how the meeting is run.

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