IT Project: eSignature Analysis and Evaluation

This project will evaluate whether DocuSign remains the best choice for UC Santa Cruz’s eSignature needs. The assessment will consider business, user experience, and technical requirements, prioritizing existing eSignature tools while engaging key stakeholders in the decision-making process. Using the results of this work, leadership will make a final decision, based on cost-effectiveness and alignment with institutional needs, whether to keep Docusign as our eSignature tool or to proceed to an RFP to select a new solution.

Green dash
  • Cost optimization and financial sustainability
  • Potential for enhanced alignment with institutional needs
  • Supporting data-driven decision making
Green dash
  • Gather input from faculty, staff, and administrative and academic departments that use eSignature.
  • Gather and document business, user experience, and technical requirements.
  • Determine migration requirements from DocuSign to another tool.
  • Evaluate potential replacement tools including security and accessibility requirements.
  • Conduct market and cost analysis
  • Summarize and make recommendations based on analysis.
Green dash

April 2025

Project kickoff

Developing the eSignature Project Charter, defining milestones and deliverables, clarifying project roles and team members, and identifying key stakeholders.

May – June 2025

Research & requirement gathering

Partnering with the campus UX Team on a research plan, conducting stakeholder interviews, documenting technical and functional requirements, and surveying campus eSignature users.

August – September 2025

eSignature evaluation

Developing a rubric for eSignature platform assessment, synthesizing stakeholder requirements and survey findings, and evaluating multiple eSignature tools against campus requirements.

October 2025

Final analysis and recommendation

Submitting a final report and a data-driven recommendation to enable leadership to decide whether to retain DocuSign as our eSignature tool, or to pursue a new solution based on project analysis, cost-effectiveness, and alignment with institutional needs.

Green dash

Executive Sponsors

  • Vice Chancellor of Information Technology 
  • Vice Chancellor of Finance, Operations, and Administration and Chief Financial Officer 

Last modified: Dec 01, 2025