Linear

Create Team and Connect GitHub

Set up the team workspace and link to the existing code repository.

Create a new Team in Linear, go to Settings > Integrations to connect the project's GitHub repository.

Enable automatic status change for issues when linked PRs are merged to reduce manual tasks.

Configure Cycle Length

Set up a work cycle that matches the team's release rhythm.

Go to Team Settings > Cycles, set the cycle length (e.g., 2 weeks) and enable automatic creation of the next cycle.

Start with a 1-week cycle for new teams to acclimatize before transitioning to longer cycles.

Use AI Triage for New Issues

Leverage AI suggestions to classify and prioritize recently created issues.

Go to the Triage inbox, review the classification and priority suggestions provided by AI for each new issue before adding them to the backlog.

Adjust the priority labels if AI assessments do not accurately reflect the actual user impact.

Plan Backlog Using Shortcuts

Quickly sort issues into the current cycle using keyboard actions.

Use shortcuts (e.g., press C to assign cycle) to drag issues from the backlog into the planned cycle.

Learn the basic shortcut keys for Linear to make backlog grooming significantly faster.

View End Cycle Report

Evaluate team performance after each work cycle ends.

Go to the Insights section, view the burndown chart and completion rate of the recently concluded cycle.

Compare completion rates across consecutive cycles to adjust the workload for the next cycle.