--- title: "User acceptance testing without becoming the bottleneck | Fluff Software" description: "How to review and sign off development work quickly: a daily slot, clear acceptance checks, one decision-maker and feedback that can be acted on first time." url: https://www.fluff.software/guides/uat-without-the-bottleneck/ updated: 2026-10-23 publisher: Fluff Software --- # UAT without the bottleneck. How to review and sign off development work quickly: a daily slot, clear acceptance checks, one decision-maker and feedback that can be acted on first time. By **Scott Gulliver**, founder of Fluff Software Published 23 October 2026 _Image: Two colleagues reviewing work on a monitor_ ## Short answer Give one person the authority to sign work off, book a short daily slot to review what’s landed, check against the ‘done looks like’ list in the request, and write feedback as specific changes. Work waiting for review isn’t shipping. ## Why review speed matters In a queue-based model, a finished task waiting for sign-off blocks nothing in theory, but in practice it holds up releases, invites rework later and means the team is building on assumptions you haven’t confirmed. The subscription model depends on someone on your side who can make decisions and review work quickly. ## Five habits that keep it moving 1. **One decision-maker.** Others can give input, but one person says “ship it”. Committees turn a ten-minute review into a week. 2. **A daily slot.** Fifteen to twenty minutes at the same time each day. Small and often beats a big weekly session. 3. **Check against the request.** If the request had a clear “done looks like” list, review is a checklist. [How to write those](https://www.fluff.software/guides/how-to-write-a-good-request/). 4. **Feedback as changes.** “The button should say Download CSV and sit to the right of the filters” can be acted on. “It doesn’t feel right” can’t, yet. 5. **Separate fixes from new ideas.** Reviewing often sparks a new idea. Add it to the queue as a new request instead of holding up the current one. ## What to check - Does it do what the request said, with real data, not just the example? - Does it work on the devices your users have? - Does anything nearby look broken? - Would a new user understand it without being told? Technical checks such as code quality, tests and security are the development team’s job. In our case every release gets a senior review before it reaches you, so your review can focus on whether it’s right for your users. ## When you’re away Name a stand-in with authority to approve, or tell the team which items can wait. Ten days of unreviewed work is the most common reason a queue slows down. ## Questions How long should UAT take each week? For one track, typically an hour or two spread across the week. It scales with the number of tracks. What if we don’t like something that’s shipped? Tell us. Revisions go into the queue like any other request, at no extra cost. ## Keep reading [How to write a request that ships quickly A simple template for writing feature requests and bug reports your development team can ship fast: the problem, who it’s for, what done looks like, and what to leave out.](https://www.fluff.software/guides/how-to-write-a-good-request/) [How unlimited requests work Why development subscriptions work one task at a time per track, how that keeps ‘unlimited’ fair, what counts as one request, and how to get more done faster.](https://www.fluff.software/guides/how-unlimited-requests-work/) [Brilliant and buried Seven signs your sole developer is overloaded, why it’s a business risk as well as a people problem, and practical ways to take the pressure off before they burn out or leave.](https://www.fluff.software/guides/brilliant-and-buried/) --- Fluff Software, a senior product team embedded in your business. Book a call: https://www.fluff.software/contact/ or email contact@fluff.software. Agents: see https://www.fluff.software/llms.txt and https://www.fluff.software/AGENTS.md.