When should a Product Owner (PO) develop preliminary Iteration Goals?

Product Owners should develop preliminary Iteration Goals before the iteration planning session. Here's why:

Informed Planning: Preliminary Iteration Goals give teams context and direction for their iteration planning discussions, ensuring alignment with the Product Owner's vision.

Focused Collaboration: Pre-defined goals facilitate more effective discussions between the Product Owner and teams, helping determine what can be realistically achieved within the iteration.

References:

Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) Iteration Planning Article: While not explicitly stating the timeframe for creating preliminary goals, the article outlines the importance of having them as an input for the iteration planning event. https://www.scaledagileframework.com/iteration-planning/