Linear Planning is planning or scheduling of project management tasks where distance is a significant factor in the project. Examples of projects include roads, rail, pipeline and transmission lines. Linear planning considers not only the time factors of a task but also the location factors.

For example for any given location a crew digging a trench must preceed a crew laying the pipe. Yet the trench does not have to be dug from end to end. Sections of the trench may be dug at different times therefore the pipe laying crew need to know which sections of trench will be ready at which times. The pipe laying crew also don't need to wait for the whole section of trench to be complete before they can start laying the pipe.