--- title: Watermark Planning & Self-Study Reviews meta\_title: 'Watermark Planning & Self-Study Reviews 2026: Details, Pricing, & Features | G2' meta\_description: Filter 71 reviews by the users' company size, role or industry to find out how Watermark Planning & Self-Study works for a business like yours. aggregate\_rating: rating\_value: 4.2 review\_count: 71 scale: '5' date\_modified: '2026-08-07' parent\_category: name: Education url: https://www.g2.com/categories/education --- ### Watermark Planning & Self-Study Pros and Cons: Top 5 Advantages and Disadvantages #### Quick AI Summary Based on G2 Reviews Generated from real user reviews Users find Watermark Planning & Self-Study to be **straightforward and user-friendly** , making collaboration and training seamless. [(4 mentions)](https://www.g2.com/products/watermark-planning-self-study/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1439043&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews) Users appreciate the **organized workflow** for assessments, enabling easy data access and historical reference in one place. [(2 mentions)](https://www.g2.com/products/watermark-planning-self-study/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1439216&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews) Users appreciate the **collaboration capabilities** of Watermark Planning & Self-Study, enhancing teamwork and resource sharing effectively. [(2 mentions)](https://www.g2.com/products/watermark-planning-self-study/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1438428&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews) Users appreciate the **intuitive hierarchy and ease of collaboration** that enhance their experience with Watermark Planning & Self-Study. [(2 mentions)](https://www.g2.com/products/watermark-planning-self-study/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=2022349&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews) Users find the **affordability** of Watermark Planning & Self-Study appealing, making it an accessible option for many. [(1 mentions)](https://www.g2.com/products/watermark-planning-self-study/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1438386&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews) Users face **internal adaptation challenges** with outdated processes, impacting the use of Watermark Planning & Self-Study. [(1 mentions)](https://www.g2.com/products/watermark-planning-self-study/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=2022348&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews) Users find the **assessment and planning functionalities too basic** , limiting their ability to track improvements effectively. [(1 mentions)](https://www.g2.com/products/watermark-planning-self-study/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1438442&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews) Users find the **insufficient training** videos limit their ability to fully utilize Watermark Planning & Self-Study. [(1 mentions)](https://www.g2.com/products/watermark-planning-self-study/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1439066&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews) Users find the **limited customization options** of Watermark Planning & Self-Study frustrating, requiring consultant assistance for changes. [(1 mentions)](https://www.g2.com/products/watermark-planning-self-study/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1438750&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews) Users find the software **not intuitive** initially, especially compared to their previous experience with Taskstream. [(1 mentions)](https://www.g2.com/products/watermark-planning-self-study/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1438852&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews) ### 5 Pros or Advantages of Watermark Planning & Self-Study ##### 1. Ease of Use Users find Watermark Planning & Self-Study to be **straightforward and user-friendly** , making collaboration and training seamless. [ See 4 mentions ](https://www.g2.com/products/watermark-planning-self-study/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1439043&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews) See Related User Reviews ![Kristine W.](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Kristine W.") KW Kristine W. Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) 5.0/5 "Excellent Software for Managing Program Review Process" What do you like about Watermark Planning & Self-Study? It is straight-forward, easy to understand the hierarchy. Steps are easy to follow. Training new faculty on the software is much easier after obtainin PW Paul W. Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) 4.0/5 "New User of Planning & Self-Study" What do you like about Watermark Planning & Self-Study? I am new to the system, but I feel like it has been easy to pick up more understanding of the system each day. It is user-friendly, and there is littl ##### 2. Assessments Users appreciate the **organized workflow** for assessments, enabling easy data access and historical reference in one place. [ See 2 mentions ](https://www.g2.com/products/watermark-planning-self-study/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1439216&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews) See Related User Reviews ![Verified User](/assets/icons/anonymous-avatar-purple-4ae1032bdb50ee5682003170c8184aee790d25958bd397abbd384ba52c596a7b.svg "Verified User") A Verified User Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) 3.5/5 "Piloting department annual review - on admin and faculty side" What do you like about Watermark Planning & Self-Study? Great workflow. I liked the organization of the system for annual program reviews. Documentation was easy to add and assessment marks easy to view. ![Kirstie D.](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Kirstie D.") KD Kirstie D. Enterprise (\> 1000 emp.) 4.5/5 "Organized Institutional Data for Program and Accreditation Reviews" What do you like about Watermark Planning & Self-Study? The most helpful aspects are that all my program data live in one place for historical reference and access. Prior to the purchase of this resource, w ##### 3. Features Users appreciate the **collaboration capabilities** of Watermark Planning & Self-Study, enhancing teamwork and resource sharing effectively. [ See 2 mentions ](https://www.g2.com/products/watermark-planning-self-study/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1438428&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews) See Related User Reviews PM Pamela M. Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) 5.0/5 "Was a godsend for our reaffirmation process" What do you like about Watermark Planning & Self-Study? The ability to easily collaborate with colleagues across various areas on campus, share evidence items, and customize our compliance certificate. DC David C. Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) 3.5/5 "Collaborative, Simple Self-Studies" What do you like about Watermark Planning & Self-Study? Compared my institutions accredito portals, dedicating three self-studies and writing committees to PSS greatly streamlined our work. Resources were e ##### 4. Tools Users appreciate the **intuitive hierarchy and ease of collaboration** that enhance their experience with Watermark Planning & Self-Study. [ See 2 mentions ](https://www.g2.com/products/watermark-planning-self-study/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=2022349&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews) See Related User Reviews ![Kristine W.](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Kristine W.") KW Kristine W. Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) 5.0/5 "Excellent Software for Managing Program Review Process" What do you like about Watermark Planning & Self-Study? It is straight-forward, easy to understand the hierarchy. Steps are easy to follow. Training new faculty on the software is much easier after obtainin PM Pamela M. Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) 5.0/5 "Was a godsend for our reaffirmation process" What do you like about Watermark Planning & Self-Study? The ability to easily collaborate with colleagues across various areas on campus, share evidence items, and customize our compliance certificate. ##### 5. Affordable Users find the **affordability** of Watermark Planning & Self-Study appealing, making it an accessible option for many. [ See 1 mentions ](https://www.g2.com/products/watermark-planning-self-study/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1438386&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews) See Related User Reviews PW Paul W. Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) 4.0/5 "New User of Planning & Self-Study" What do you like about Watermark Planning & Self-Study? I am new to the system, but I feel like it has been easy to pick up more understanding of the system each day. It is user-friendly, and there is littl ### 5 Cons or Disadvantages of Watermark Planning & Self-Study ##### 1. Assessment Issues Users face **internal adaptation challenges** with outdated processes, impacting the use of Watermark Planning & Self-Study. [ See 1 mentions ](https://www.g2.com/products/watermark-planning-self-study/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=2022348&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews) See Related User Reviews ![Verified User](/assets/icons/anonymous-avatar-purple-4ae1032bdb50ee5682003170c8184aee790d25958bd397abbd384ba52c596a7b.svg "Verified User") A Verified User Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) 3.5/5 "Piloting department annual review - on admin and faculty side" What do you dislike about Watermark Planning & Self-Study? The main downside was internal to my organization and the fact that we were still adapting to the new system with old processess and procedures. Next ##### 2. Difficulty Users find the **assessment and planning functionalities too basic** , limiting their ability to track improvements effectively. [ See 1 mentions ](https://www.g2.com/products/watermark-planning-self-study/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1438442&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews) See Related User Reviews DC David C. Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) 3.5/5 "Collaborative, Simple Self-Studies" What do you dislike about Watermark Planning & Self-Study? The assessment and strategic planning aspects are too rudimentary. Good for at a glance reporting but not for tracking improvements or deeper dives in ##### 3. Insufficient Training Users find the **insufficient training** videos limit their ability to fully utilize Watermark Planning & Self-Study. [ See 1 mentions ](https://www.g2.com/products/watermark-planning-self-study/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1439066&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews) See Related User Reviews ![Verified User](/assets/icons/anonymous-avatar-purple-4ae1032bdb50ee5682003170c8184aee790d25958bd397abbd384ba52c596a7b.svg "Verified User") A Verified User Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) 4.5/5 "User Friendly" What do you dislike about Watermark Planning & Self-Study? Not enough training videos for references. ##### 4. Limited Customization Users find the **limited customization options** of Watermark Planning & Self-Study frustrating, requiring consultant assistance for changes. [ See 1 mentions ](https://www.g2.com/products/watermark-planning-self-study/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1438750&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews) See Related User Reviews ![Kirstie D.](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Kirstie D.") KD Kirstie D. Enterprise (\> 1000 emp.) 4.5/5 "Organized Institutional Data for Program and Accreditation Reviews" What do you dislike about Watermark Planning & Self-Study? That we cannot customize features without having to work with our Watermark consultant. ##### 5. Not Intuitive Users find the software **not intuitive** initially, especially compared to their previous experience with Taskstream. [ See 1 mentions ](https://www.g2.com/products/watermark-planning-self-study/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1438852&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews) See Related User Reviews ![Kristine W.](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Kristine W.") KW Kristine W. Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) 5.0/5 "Excellent Software for Managing Program Review Process" What do you dislike about Watermark Planning & Self-Study? Initially it wasn't that intuitive. This had more to do with what we could do on our own as administrators in this software when most of our exposure ## Top-Rated Alternatives [ ![Canvas LMS](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/cc84f1e73e41e2494758227287a0c804/canvas-lms.svg "Canvas LMS") Canvas LMS 4.5/5(1,839) ](https://www.g2.com/products/canvas-lms/reviews) [ ![Blackboard](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/e7df945eee7eecf5a52bc1741b0edf8a/blackboard.svg "Blackboard") Blackboard 4/5(1,067) ](https://www.g2.com/products/blackboard/reviews) [ ![Anthology Portfolio](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/ec5a5e6bdf78614e411788dbcab168fc/anthology-portfolio.svg "Anthology Portfolio") Anthology Portfolio 4.1/5(14) ](https://www.g2.com/products/anthology-portfolio/reviews) [ View All Alternatives ](https://www.g2.com/products/watermark-planning-self-study/competitors/alternatives) ![Elaine V M.](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Elaine V M.") EM Elaine V M. Assistant Director of Assessment Enterprise (\> 1000 emp.) 5/16/2023 "Modernized outcomes assessment reporting" 5/5 What do you like best about Watermark Planning & Self-Study? We upgraded from Taskstream into Planning and Self-study, and it was like moving into the 21st century. It is easier to use and is a much simpler interface. The reports generated are great summaries of each program's work and the institution overall. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about Watermark Planning & Self-Study? Since it is a fairly new product, some things still need to be developed. We anxiously await the monthly report with the latest updates to the system. It took a bit longer to implement than we thought it would, but very worth it in the end. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is Watermark Planning & Self-Study solving and how is that benefiting you? One of the problems we had with Taskstream is the faculty did not like to use it as it was somewhat complicated. Planning and Self-Study has simplified the user interface and ti will be easier to get faculty to use it. We also hope it will help with Academic Program Reviews in the future. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More 8/20/2024 Current UserValidated ReviewerSource: Organic ![Verified User in E-Learning](/assets/icons/anonymous-avatar-purple-4ae1032bdb50ee5682003170c8184aee790d25958bd397abbd384ba52c596a7b.svg "Verified User in E-Learning") UE Verified User in E-Learning Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) 7/24/2025 "Such a Valuable Tool" 4/5 What do you like best about Watermark Planning & Self-Study? User-Friendly Interface: Navigation is straightforward. Integrated Assessment Tools: Facilitates the alignment of institutional goals with departmental plans and learning outcomes. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about Watermark Planning & Self-Study? Learning it took more time than expected. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is Watermark Planning & Self-Study solving and how is that benefiting you? Allows areas to be cross-functional, and that is helpful when working with different and various departments. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More Validated ReviewerIncentivizedSource: G2 invite on behalf of seller PM Pamela M. Vice President for Academic Affairs Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) 2/18/2025 "Was a godsend for our reaffirmation process" 5/5 What do you like best about Watermark Planning & Self-Study? The ability to easily collaborate with colleagues across various areas on campus, share evidence items, and customize our compliance certificate. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about Watermark Planning & Self-Study? User support can be cumbersome and time-consuming. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is Watermark Planning & Self-Study solving and how is that benefiting you? Strategic Planning, Student Learning Outcome tracking, accreditation compliance Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More Current UserValidated ReviewerIncentivizedSource: G2 invite on behalf of seller ![Verified User in Higher Education](/assets/icons/anonymous-avatar-purple-4ae1032bdb50ee5682003170c8184aee790d25958bd397abbd384ba52c596a7b.svg "Verified User in Higher Education") UH Verified User in Higher Education Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) 8/22/2024 "It's not paper files...but..." 2.5/5 What do you like best about Watermark Planning & Self-Study? Certainly there is a scale and efficiency that can be useful with this product. Multiple stakeholders/readers can access documents -- from wherever they are -- and do their work. Think tenure & promotion files, for example. This is a benefit and replaces, in this example, the old "giant binders on a cart locked in the provost's office and available from 10 - 12, M - F." Or something similar.... Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about Watermark Planning & Self-Study? I dislike the forced structure that is hard to work with. When the material is written and organized by others, it means that individual or personal elements disappear, and unique file materials cannot easily be added. The software itself has a clunkiness that is frustrating, to say the least, when trying to process enormous amounts of document. Ex: clicking and clicking to find something, then trying to return to an exact previous spot...only to be 'clicked' back to the beginning or to an index or spine. Makes reading enormous, important file materials hard/er than it could be. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is Watermark Planning & Self-Study solving and how is that benefiting you? In my case, there are two problems: assessment materials for accreditation self-study AND assessment materials for my department. Benefit: materials can be accessed anywhere, any time, and not merely in person via one copy that scores of people may need to read. Items may be more easily adjusted, amended, added to. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More Current UserValidated ReviewerSource: G2 invite on behalf of seller ![GARY R.](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "GARY R.") GR GARY R. Director of assessment and Institutional Research Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 8/20/2024 "We just implemented in Sept 23 and are utilizing many aspects of this program. We love it." 5/5 What do you like best about Watermark Planning & Self-Study? The curriculum map option is very important for Program Review. i have faculty start there to review their Program Learning Outcomes, required courses and then where they are going to assess those outcomes. The templates for program review were easy to create and then duplicate. Overall I use Watermark 3-4 times per week. The 800 number for support is awesome - they are very patient with me as I was learning this program. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about Watermark Planning & Self-Study? It doesn't make sense to me why the curriculum map isn't in the program review module. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is Watermark Planning & Self-Study solving and how is that benefiting you? We now have a centralized process that is uniform across programs. We love it. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More 2/24/2025 Current UserValidated ReviewerIncentivizedSource: G2 invite on behalf of seller KK Karina K. Assessment & Accreditation Specialist Enterprise (\> 1000 emp.) 8/20/2024 "Good product, sharp looking." 4/5 What do you like best about Watermark Planning & Self-Study? Faculty have commented that it is much easier to use based on previous assessment software; much more user-friendly and professional. The customer support is good - they are open to feedback from users and will implement our suggestions over time. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about Watermark Planning & Self-Study? It is a bit expensive, depending on your budget. There seem to be a few features coming soon that will cost extra, which is disappointing. I wish some of the reporting features were better. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is Watermark Planning & Self-Study solving and how is that benefiting you? Centralized assessment repository, link results to LMS data, streamlined reporting. Hopefully will lead to more data-driven decision making by programs. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More Current UserValidated ReviewerIncentivizedSource: G2 invite on behalf of seller ![Verified User in Higher Education](/assets/icons/anonymous-avatar-purple-4ae1032bdb50ee5682003170c8184aee790d25958bd397abbd384ba52c596a7b.svg "Verified User in Higher Education") UH Verified User in Higher Education Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) 8/20/2024 "User-Friendly Platform and Seamless Integration into Planning" 5/5 What do you like best about Watermark Planning & Self-Study? Watermark Planning and Self-Study houses our program learning outcomes, action plans, and correlated data in one place, making it easy to see trends and to document continuous improvement efforts. It has become an integral part of our annual data analysis process. The platform is intuitive and user-friendly. When I do have a question or techical issue, Watermark's support and customer service are top-notch. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about Watermark Planning & Self-Study? If you are new to the Watermark suite of products, there can be a learning curve. However, I have found that the training and support ease any transition. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is Watermark Planning & Self-Study solving and how is that benefiting you? Watermark Planning and Self-Study serves as a powerful tool in documenting our program learning outcomes and continuous improvement efforts. This serves us in-house in a myriad of ways, but it also facilitates a smooth evidence process for external accreditors. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More Current UserValidated ReviewerIncentivizedSource: G2 invite on behalf of seller ![Tim M.](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Tim M.") TM Tim M. Associate Vice President Institutional Effectiveness Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) 8/21/2024 "Intuitive, responsive, and useful" 5/5 What do you like best about Watermark Planning & Self-Study? It's an easy to use software and almost all faculty note that the features are simple to understand that is visually appealing. The structure is most useful to capturing needed information to inform program improvement. The connection to Canvas for extracting and examining student learning evidence is very helpful. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about Watermark Planning & Self-Study? The ability to use rubrics in assessment plans is great, but the same feature would be as helpful in program review. Most features are easy to manage once somewhat familiar with the system. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is Watermark Planning & Self-Study solving and how is that benefiting you? Our institution needed to connect student learning measurement to action items in seeking improvement in learning as well as alignment to program level learning outcomes. The curriculum mapping feature is great at connecting the program courses to the sites of assessment. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More Validated ReviewerSource: G2 invite on behalf of seller ![Verified User in Higher Education](/assets/icons/anonymous-avatar-purple-4ae1032bdb50ee5682003170c8184aee790d25958bd397abbd384ba52c596a7b.svg "Verified User in Higher Education") AH Verified User in Higher Education Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) 2/25/2025 "User Friendly" 4.5/5 What do you like best about Watermark Planning & Self-Study? The one thing I love most is the storage capability and the different platform connected to this system for easy data retrieval. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about Watermark Planning & Self-Study? Not enough training videos for references. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is Watermark Planning & Self-Study solving and how is that benefiting you? The biggest problem was keeping up with survey data result from students. Now that it is housed and sent from the Watermark platform the process is a lot more seamless. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More Validated ReviewerIncentivizedSource: G2 invite on behalf of seller ![Verified User in Higher Education](/assets/icons/anonymous-avatar-purple-4ae1032bdb50ee5682003170c8184aee790d25958bd397abbd384ba52c596a7b.svg "Verified User in Higher Education") UH Verified User in Higher Education Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) 2/20/2025 "Watermark aids our leadership in structuring our plans for the future and budgets." 3.5/5 What do you like best about Watermark Planning & Self-Study? Composing action steps effectively for goals. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What do you dislike about Watermark Planning & Self-Study? I think that some of the steps are repetitive. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. What problems is Watermark Planning & Self-Study solving and how is that benefiting you? Outlining future needs and associated costs. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com. Show More Current UserValidated ReviewerIncentivizedSource: G2 invite on behalf of seller ##### Categories on G2 [Assessment](https://www.g2.com/categories/assessment) ##### Explore More [Top AI tools for producing SEO-optimized content](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-are-the-top-ai-tools-for-producing-seo-optimized-content)[Is ProfitWell Metrics by Paddle worth it as a payment analytics platform for a SaaS company that needs subscription payment analytics, or does Paddle's own analytics cover the same ground?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/is-profitwell-metrics-by-paddle-worth-it-as-a-payment-analytics-platform-for-a-saas-company-that-needs-subscription-payment-analytics-or-does-paddle-s-own-analytics-cover-the-same-ground)[Best CRM for a growing tech startup](https://www.g2.com/discussions/crm-best-crm-for-a-growing-tech-startup) [What are the highest rated Google Workspace project management tools for small teams needing email-to-task automation without training overhead?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-are-the-highest-rated-google-workspace-project-management-tools-for-small-teams-needing-email-to-task-automation-without-training-overhead)[Top-rated platforms for workforce shift planning](https://www.g2.com/discussions/top-rated-platforms-for-workforce-shift-planning)[Pros and Cons Details](https://www.g2.com/products/watermark-planning-self-study/reviews?qs=pros-and-cons) [Show MoreShow Less](javascript:void(0);)