The daily scrum meeting, also known as the daily stand-up, is an essential part of the Scrum framework for agile software development. During this meeting, the development team comes together to discuss progress, plan their work for the day, and identify any roadblocks or impediments that must be addressed. But should the product owner attend the daily scrum meeting as well?
The short answer is: it depends. There are arguments both for and against the product owner attending the daily scrum meeting, and the decision should ultimately be based on the needs of the project and the team.
One argument in favour of the product owner attending the daily scrum meeting is that it can help to ensure that everyone is aligned on project goals and priorities. The product owner is responsible for setting the product vision and roadmap, and attending the daily scrum meeting can help them to understand how the development team is progressing towards those goals. It can also give the product owner an opportunity to provide feedback and guidance on the work being done.
Another argument in favour of the product owner attending the daily scrum meeting is that it can help to foster a sense of collaboration and ownership among the team. By attending the daily scrum meeting, the product owner can demonstrate their support for the development team and show that they are invested in the success of the project. This can help to build trust and facilitate communication between the product owner and the development team.
Also, the purpose of the daily scrum meeting is to plan the day and highlight impediments. The Product Owner, with his vast connections and relationship within the business, is suited to help the team remove the impediments and help the team by giving them contact details of people who can support them. The product owner is responsible for the prioritisation, so he is very well suited to help the team members answer the question regarding the priority of the item within the sprint.
However, there are also arguments against the product owner attending the daily scrum meeting. One concern is that the presence of the product owner may lead to longer meetings or distract the development team from their work. Additionally, some argue that the daily scrum meeting is primarily a team meeting and that the product owner’s attendance is not necessary for the meeting to be effective.
Ultimately, the decision of whether or not the product owner should attend the daily scrum meeting should be based on the needs of the project and the team. If the product owner’s attendance is helpful for aligning goals, facilitating communication, and fostering collaboration, then they should attend. However, if their presence is distracting or unnecessary, it may be best for them to stay focused on other aspects of the project and let the development team lead the daily scrum meeting.
My preference is to have the Product Owner attend the daily Scrum. From my experience over the last 12 years, I have found the Product Owner’s presence in the daily scrum meeting exceptionally beneficial. I am an advocate for the group that is in favour of the Product Owners attending the daily Scrum.