Linear Project Organization Guide

Linear is a powerful project management tool that helps teams organize work through a clear hierarchical structure. Let's dive into how Linear organizes work from high-level planning down to individual tasks.

Initiatives

Initiatives in Linear are high-level strategic objectives - these often map to company goals or OKRs.

• "Customer Experience Messaging Application"
• "Mobile App Launch"

Initiatives allow everyone to visualize progress towards company goals.

How to turn on Initiatives in Linear

1. Click on your workspace name in the top-left corner of Linear.
2. Select Settings from the dropdown.
3. Under Workspace, choose Projects.
4. Toggle Enable Initiatives.
5. Initiatives will now appear in the sidebar so you can start creating them.

Watch the short demo How to turn on Initiatives.

Projects and Milestones

Projects

Projects in Linear are collections of related issues that contribute to a specific deliverable or outcome. They're more focused and shorter-term than initiatives with a timeline. A project typically:

• Has a defined scope and timeline
• Contains multiple related issues
• Can be part of a larger initiative but does not have to be
• Includes progress tracking and completion status

Milestones

Milestones are significant checkpoints or deadlines within projects. They help teams:

• Track major project phases
• Set clear delivery dates
• Measure progress against timeline
• Coordinate cross-team dependencies

Issues and Sub-issues: Getting Things Done

Issues

Issues are the fundamental unit of work in Linear. They represent specific tasks, bugs, features, or pieces of work that need to be completed. Each issue:

• Has a clear owner
• Contains detailed descriptions and requirements
• Can be prioritized and scheduled
• Tracks status and progress
• Can be linked to projects and initiatives

Sub-issues

Sub-issues allow you to break down complex issues into smaller, manageable pieces. They're perfect for:

• Breaking large features into smaller tasks
• Creating checklists of requirements
• Managing dependencies within a larger issue
• Distributing work among team members

Putting It All Together

Linear's organizational structure creates a clear hierarchy:

1. Initiatives (Strategic Goals)
   • Projects (Deliverables)
     • Issues (Tasks)
       • Sub-issues (Subtasks)

This structure helps teams:

• Maintain clear visibility from strategy to execution
• Track progress at every level
• Ensure all work contributes to larger goals
• Keep teams aligned and focused

By understanding and properly using these organizational elements, teams can better manage their work and achieve their objectives more efficiently.