Should the Product Owner attend Sprint Planning if they are not ready with a Sprint Goal?

The idea that the Product Owner should not attend Sprint Planning if they are not ready with a Sprint Goal is based on the fundamental principles of Scrum. The Sprint Goal serves as a crucial guiding element for the team, conveying the purpose of the Sprint and providing a shared focus. If the Product Owner arrives at Sprint Planning without a clear Sprint Goal, it can lead to confusion and a lack of direction for the team, hindering their ability to effectively plan the Sprint.

According to Scrum practices, the Sprint Planning event is most effective when the Product Owner is prepared with a well-defined Sprint Goal. This preparation ensures that the team can identify the most valuable items from the Product Backlog to achieve that goal, facilitating a more productive planning session. This perspective urges the Product Owner to engage actively in the planning process only when equipped with the necessary clarity and focus that a Sprint Goal provides. Hence, attending the meeting without being prepared diminishes the effectiveness of the event and goes against the discipline and structure advocated by Scrum.