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Staging Review

Last updated: September 9, 2026

Waiver available: No

Recommended timing: Schedule once your product is production-ready and all required artifacts are complete

How this touchpoint helps you, VA, and Veterans

A Staging Review is your last checkpoint before launch. Use it to confirm your product meets the VA.gov Experience Standards, Platform QA Standards, and Engineering and Security Standards — before Veterans see it. This gives you one more chance to catch issues before Veterans use your product, so you can launch with confidence.

This touchpoint is required for any product built for Veterans, caregivers, families, survivors, or representatives.

This isn’t the right review for you if:

Not sure which applies? Review the touchpoint flowchart or tag @platform-governance-team-members in your team's Slack channel.

No GitHub ticket yet? Start with a Collab Cycle kickoff first.

Watch this video for a quick, high-level overview of the Staging Review meeting. For complete details, continue reading.

What you need to bring

Complete these artifacts before you schedule your Staging Review meeting. They’ll need to be complete and unchanged while the Platform conducts their review (4 working days before your meeting).

Staging Review artifacts

Artifact

Required?

What to include

Product URL

Required

Link to an approved staging environment, plus the pages/flows this work affects

Generated PDF form

If applicable

A populated form meeting the QA8: PDF Form Validation standard

Primary entry point URL

Required

Where Veterans start using your product. Not on VA.gov? Tell us how to access it.

Test users and scenarios

If applicable

Usernames, passwords, and tasks in a .md file in the va.gov-team-sensitive repo. Cover every scenario (new, in-progress, submitted).

Known issues and bugs

Required

Link related tickets. An issue that blocks testing may cancel your review even if it's listed.

Content and IA epic link

If applicable

Confirm feedback is implemented before the review window

ADE intake ticket

If applicable

Confirm feedback is implemented before the review window

Accessibility testing artifact

Required

See instructions and link to the accessibility testing template

QA Artifacts

Required

Artifacts that correspond to each of the QA Standards

Engineering and Security Checklist

Required

Update the Engineering and Security Checklist based on this feedback provided at Architecture Intent. If you’ve updated this document, mark with the word “UPDATE” in bold, all-caps as well as the time and date of the update.

Skipped both Design Intent and Midpoint Review?

Also bring:

  • Updated product outline (this iteration and the problem it solves)

  • Current-state user flow (in production)

  • Updated-state user flow (new/changed steps)

Nice to have:

  • Content source of truth

  • Information Architecture spec

You’re ready for this touchpoint when

  • Architecture Intent touchpoint has been completed

  • All test scenarios can be successfully navigated

  • Required artifacts (listed above) are ready

How to schedule your review

  1. Create a ticket
    Click "Initiate a Staging Review" in your Main Collab Cycle ticket to generate a Staging Review GitHub ticket

  2. Add your artifacts
    Add links to your artifacts in your Staging Review GitHub ticket before scheduling your meeting

  3. Book a time
    Click the Calendly Staging Review calendar link in your GitHub ticket when you’re ready to schedule

Anyone on your team can do this — no specific role is required.

How to prepare for your review

  • Test your scenarios first — an untestable scenario may cancel your review

  • Do not merge changes to VA.gov or test users for 4 working days before your meeting while Platform conducts its review

  • Confirm your product is live on an approved staging environment

What happens during the meeting

Format: 30-minute Microsoft Teams meeting, hosted by the Governance Team and recorded

Who should attend: Your product manager, Gov Lead, and anyone who contributed to the artifacts

Who else attends: Relevant Platform participants and Gov Leads, invited by the Governance Team

Agenda:

  1. Welcome and team updates

  2. Platform Engineering, Security, and QA findings

  3. Governance Team's Experience Standard findings

  4. Launch-blocking tickets, if any

  5. Non-launch-blocking tickets, time permitting

  6. Your questions

What to expect: Top findings are shared live.

Two types of findings:

  • Launch-blocking — must fix before launch. Examples: QA standards issues, imposter components, severe accessibility defects (a11y-defect-0/1), major deviations from Experience Standards.

  • Non-launch-blocking — worth fixing, doesn't stop launch. Examples: typos, inconsistent link behavior.

Too many findings? At 25+ total or 10+ launch-blocking, we'll pause, share what we found, and ask you to schedule a second Staging Review.

What happens after the meeting

  • A link to the recording will be in your Staging Review ticket.

  • Most findings are opened as GitHub issues and associated to your Collab Cycle ticket via the Milestone (found in the right sidebar on desktop). Engineering and Security feedback will be added as a comment on your GitHub ticket by end of day.

  • Fix all launch-blocking findings before you launch.

  • If a second review is required, resolve as much as you can and retest thoroughly before rebooking.

  • A Post–Staging Review Checklist ticket with your remaining pre- and post-launch tasks, including a VA 508 Office Audit Request after launch, will be created. Complete everything that applies.

Waiver process

A waiver is not available for Staging Reviews. Every team making a visible change to the Veteran experience must complete this touchpoint before launch.


Help and feedback