The ESVP Retrospective Activity

Sometimes even the best facilitators run into issues when trying to get a team engaged during meetings. This is where ESVP comes in, this technique allows you to figure out how the team is feeling about the meeting and what is the core issue for not engaging. 

What is the ESVP Retrospective?

The ESVP sprint retrospective allows you to gauge team members’ engagement before starting a meeting. In this technique, the facilitator asks team members to anonymously choose which category best fits how they feel about the meeting. Among the categories are Explorers, which are the ones who want to discover new things and want to learn; The Shoppers are completely okay with getting all the information in the meeting and leaving with only one thing learned; The Vacationers have no interest in the meeting but are content with being away from their desks; The Prisoners believe that they are being forced to attend the meeting and would much rather be doing something else. 

When Should ESVP Retrospective be Used?

This retrospective technique is useful if you notice that only some of the same team members participate during meetings. Additionally, this allows members to discuss why they feel like a prisoner at the meeting and what could be done to make them more engaged. ESVP is also helpful when you have a brand-new team, and you want to see how everyone is feeling about a new project.