Linear Initiatives
Projects deliver specific outcomes. Leaders ask bigger questions: are we making progress on growth, reliability, or customer satisfaction? Initiatives answer those questions by grouping related projects under one strategic goal.
What an Initiative Is
An initiative is a high-level container for projects. It carries a name, an owner, a description, a status, and an optional target date. Linear calculates the initiative's progress from the projects inside it. Availability of initiatives depends on your plan.
INITIATIVE: Improve App Reliability │ ├── Project: Reduce Crash Rate [████████░░] 80% ├── Project: Faster Error Alerts [█████░░░░░] 50% └── Project: Database Upgrade [██░░░░░░░░] 20% Initiative progress: roughly 50%
Everyday Comparison
Consider a city that wants cleaner air. The city does not run one task. It launches several programs: planting trees, adding electric buses, and limiting factory smoke. Each program is a project. The goal "cleaner air" is the initiative. Citizens check one number to see overall progress.
Create an Initiative
- Open Initiatives from the sidebar.
- Click New initiative.
- Enter a name and a short description of the goal.
- Choose an owner and an optional target date.
- Save the initiative.
Add Projects
Open the initiative page and use the add project control. Select existing projects, or create new ones from there. A project can sit under more than one initiative when it supports several goals.
Initiative Status
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Planned | The goal is approved and work has not started |
| Active | Projects under the initiative are in progress |
| Completed | The team reached the goal |
Update the status as the initiative moves forward. Leaders scan the initiative list to spot stalled goals.
Post Updates
Initiative owners can post written updates on the page. A short update covers three points: what moved forward, what blocks progress, and what happens next. Readers receive a clear story without attending a meeting.
Initiative, Project, or Issue
| Level | Question | Owner | Typical Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initiative | Why does this matter? | Leader or director | Quarter to year |
| Project | What outcome do we deliver? | Project lead | Weeks to months |
| Issue | What task do we complete? | One assignee | Hours to days |
Write Strong Initiatives
State a Measurable Goal
"Cut crash rate by half" gives the team a target. "Improve quality" leaves everyone guessing.
Limit the Count
Run three to five active initiatives at a time. A long list spreads attention thin.
Assign One Owner
Shared ownership blurs accountability. Name one person who answers questions about progress.
Example Quarter Plan
Q3 INITIATIVES 1. Improve App Reliability Owner: Priya 3 projects 2. Grow Mobile Users Owner: Daniel 4 projects 3. Lower Support Load Owner: Meera 2 projects
Executives review these three lines each week and see where attention belongs.
Review Initiatives Regularly
Hold a short initiative review every two weeks. Open the initiative list and check each status, owner, and progress bar. Ask three questions: does the goal still matter, do the projects still support the goal, and does anything block progress? Retire or reshape initiatives that no longer fit company priorities.
Connect Teams
Initiatives show how separate teams contribute to one aim. A designer sees that a small icon task supports the reliability goal. That connection raises motivation and helps people judge which tasks deserve attention.
Report to Leadership
Leaders need a clear picture, not hundreds of issues. Share the initiative page in executive meetings. The progress bars, owners, and written updates form a complete report without extra slides.