CGEIT Practice Test 15 — 15 Questions

Question 1

Which activity is essential for effective IT resource governance?

Accepted Answer

Monitoring and reporting on resource utilization. Effective IT resource governance requires monitoring and reporting on resource utilization to ensure that IT assets (infrastructure, applications, people, data) are optimized and aligned with enterprise objectives. This activity provides the visibility needed for capacity planning, cost optimization, and performance management, which are core to COBIT's EDM04 (Ensured Resource Optimization) and APO07 (Managed Human Resources) and BAI09 (Managed Assets). Without monitoring and reporting, governance cannot evaluate whether resources are being used effectively.

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Writing code for new applications

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Updating user passwords

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Purchasing new server hardware

Question 2

Which of the following best describes 'strategic alignment' in IT governance?

Accepted Answer

Ensuring IT plans and business plans are synchronized. Strategic alignment in IT governance means that IT strategy, plans, and investments are directly derived from and continuously synchronized with the organization's business strategy and objectives. Option D captures this bidirectional linkage — IT enables business goals while business priorities shape IT direction. This is a core principle in frameworks like COBIT (BAI01, APO02) and is a primary focus area of CGEIT. Without this alignment, IT becomes a cost center rather than a value enabler.

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Requiring IT staff to wear uniforms

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Purchasing the most advanced technology available

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Ensuring the data center is located in a seismically safe area

Question 3

Which TWO of the following are key responsibilities of an IT steering committee?

Accepted Answer

Reviewing IT project status and business value delivery. Option A is correct because an IT steering committee provides governance oversight, regularly reviewing project status, milestones, and whether IT initiatives are delivering the intended business value. Option E is correct because the steering committee is a strategic decision-making body that approves the enterprise-wide IT strategy and prioritizes/funds the IT investment portfolio. Options B, C, and D are incorrect because installing server software patches, performing daily system performance monitoring, and managing the helpdesk ticket queue are operational, day-to-day tasks handled by IT operations staff, not strategic governance responsibilities of a steering committee.

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Installing server software patches

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Performing daily system performance monitoring

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Managing the helpdesk ticket queue

Question 4

An organization is evaluating its governance structure against the COBIT 2019 framework. Where should the authority for IT governance decisions reside?

Accepted Answer

The IT Steering Committee.. In COBIT 2019, IT governance decision-making authority should reside with a governance body that represents both business and IT stakeholders — typically the IT Steering Committee. This committee provides oversight, prioritizes IT investments, and ensures alignment between IT and business strategy. It operates under the board's delegated authority and is the appropriate locus for governance decisions.

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The IT Security Manager.

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The Chief Information Officer (CIO).

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The external auditors.

Question 5

When establishing an IT governance committee, what is a key requirement for its effectiveness?

Accepted Answer

It must include representation from both business and IT.. A key requirement for an effective IT governance committee is representation from both business and IT, ensuring that decisions balance business value with technical feasibility and risk. This cross-functional composition aligns IT priorities with enterprise objectives and prevents governance from becoming an IT-only exercise. It reflects COBIT and ISO/IEC 38500 principles of stakeholder involvement and business-IT alignment.

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It must be composed only of technical experts.

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It must be chaired by the CIO.

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It must meet at least once a week.

Question 6

What is the primary indicator that IT strategic alignment is successful?

Accepted Answer

Business goals are met through the effective use of IT.. IT strategic alignment is successful when IT investments and capabilities directly enable the organization to achieve its business goals. The ultimate measure is not internal IT efficiency metrics but whether IT has contributed to business outcomes such as revenue growth, market share, or customer satisfaction. This is the essence of alignment — IT serving business strategy.

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IT cost as a percentage of revenue is minimized.

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The IT department is fully staffed.

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IT projects are completed on time.

Question 7

A company is establishing an IT Risk Committee. Which group should have the most significant representation?

Accepted Answer

Key business process owners and senior IT leadership.. An IT Risk Committee exists to ensure that technology risk is governed in the context of business objectives, so its membership must include the owners of business processes that depend on IT and the senior IT leaders who operate and secure those systems. This pairing ensures risk decisions reflect both business impact and technical reality, which is the essence of CGEIT's governance mandate.

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The local IT vendors.

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The human resources department.

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The junior IT support staff.

Question 8

A newly appointed CIO is integrating COBIT 2019 into the existing governance framework. Which action best ensures that the governance system is dynamic?

Accepted Answer

Customizing the governance system based on the enterprise's unique design factors.. COBIT 2019 explicitly defines a governance system as dynamic when it is tailored to the enterprise's context through design factors (enterprise goals, risk profile, threat landscape, compliance requirements, IT role, sourcing model, etc.). Customizing based on these factors is the prescribed method for achieving a fit-for-purpose, adaptable governance system. This aligns with the COBIT principle 'Tailored to Enterprise Needs' and the design-factor-driven approach in the COBIT 2019 Design Guide.

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Focusing solely on the 'Ensure Governance Framework Setting and Maintenance' objective.

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Implementing all 40 governance and management objectives immediately.

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Adopting the framework exactly as published in the COBIT core publication.

Question 9

What is the primary role of an IT Steering Committee?

Accepted Answer

Reviewing IT strategy and project portfolio alignment with business goals.. An IT Steering Committee is a governance body that provides strategic direction and oversight, ensuring IT initiatives align with business goals and that the IT project portfolio delivers expected value. Its primary role is reviewing and prioritizing IT strategy, investments, and project portfolios — not operational execution.

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Managing the IT staff performance reviews.

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Scheduling system maintenance windows.

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Designing the network architecture.

Question 10

The IT steering committee is evaluating a high-cost digital transformation project. What should the committee prioritize to ensure strategic alignment?

Accepted Answer

The business value proposition and contribution to organizational goals.. For a high-cost digital transformation, the IT steering committee's primary governance responsibility is to ensure strategic alignment — that the investment delivers business value and advances organizational goals. Prioritizing the business value proposition and contribution to goals is the essence of strategic alignment.

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The potential for technical debt reduction.

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The specific vendor selection process used for the software purchase.

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Detailed technical architectural specifications.

Question 11

Which TWO of the following steps are critical when performing a benefits-based business case review?

Accepted Answer

Comparing current project performance against the business case.. Option B is correct because a benefits-based business case review centers on measuring actual project performance (schedule, cost, and realized benefits) against the baseline assumptions and expected benefits documented in the business case, so any variance can trigger corrective action or a re-forecast. Option D is correct because the business case rests on external assumptions and strategic priorities; if the business environment or organizational strategy has shifted significantly, the original benefits may no longer be valid, so re-validating those assumptions is essential to confirm the project still delivers value. Options A, C, and E are not part of a benefits-based review: updating a contact list is administrative housekeeping, checking IT security standards is a compliance/technical audit activity, and reviewing the code repository is a technical quality task, none of which directly assess whether the project's benefits remain aligned with the business case.

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Updating the project team's contact list.

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Checking if the project complies with the latest IT security standards.

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Reviewing the technical code repository.

Question 12

When implementing a benefits management plan, what is the primary role of the 'Benefits Owner'?

Accepted Answer

To ensure that the business operational changes required to achieve the benefits are implemented.. The Benefits Owner is the business role accountable for realising the value defined in the business case, which requires the operational changes — process redesign, role changes, adoption — that turn a delivered capability into measurable benefit. This is distinct from the project manager who delivers outputs and the sponsor who funds them. Option C captures that accountability for business change enablement.

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To manage the technical development life cycle of the software.

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To authorize the release of funds from the enterprise budget.

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To audit the project documentation for compliance with PMBOK standards.

Question 13

Which factor most significantly influences the design of an IT governance system?

Accepted Answer

The organization's strategy and business goals.. An IT governance system exists to ensure IT enables and extends the organization's strategy, so its design must be driven by the organization's strategy and business goals. COBIT 2019 explicitly lists enterprise strategy as a design factor that shapes governance objectives, components, and performance metrics. Without this anchor, governance becomes a generic control framework rather than a value-enabling system.

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The specific software vendors used.

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The current IT hardware lifecycle.

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The number of employees in the IT department.

Question 14

Which THREE factors should the board of directors consider when establishing IT governance oversight mechanisms?

Accepted Answer

Regulatory and compliance requirements.. Option A (Regulatory and compliance requirements) is correct because IT governance oversight must ensure the organization meets legal, statutory, and industry obligations such as GDPR, HIPAA, SOX, or PCI DSS, which directly shape governance structures, controls, and reporting to the board. Option B (Alignment of IT initiatives with business strategy) is correct because a core purpose of IT governance is to ensure technology investments and initiatives support and enable the enterprise's strategic objectives, typically through frameworks like COBIT that link IT goals to business goals. Option C (Enterprise risk appetite) is correct because the board must define and monitor how much IT-related risk the organization is willing to accept, guiding decisions on security, resilience, and investment priorities. Option D (Daily network uptime statistics) is not appropriate for board-level governance oversight, as it is an operational metric handled by IT management, not a strategic governance factor. Option E (Detailed software configuration standards) is also operational and tactical, belonging to IT operations and technical teams rather than the board's governance responsibilities.

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Daily network uptime statistics.

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Detailed software configuration standards.

Question 15

Which TWO of the following are critical success factors for implementing a new IT governance program?

Accepted Answer

Active support and commitment from senior leadership. Option A is correct because active support and commitment from senior leadership is a critical success factor for any IT governance program; executive sponsorship provides the authority, funding, and accountability needed to enforce governance decisions and drive adoption across the organization. Option E is correct because integrating governance into the organizational culture ensures that governance becomes embedded in daily decision-making and behavior rather than being a one-time project, which is essential for long-term sustainability and effectiveness. Option B is incorrect because replacing all existing IT management staff is disruptive and unnecessary; successful governance builds on existing expertise and typically involves training and realignment rather than wholesale replacement. Option C is incorrect because focusing exclusively on technical automation tools overlooks the people, process, and cultural dimensions that are central to governance success. Option D is incorrect because ignoring existing business processes to start fresh discards valuable institutional knowledge and creates unnecessary risk and resistance.

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Replacing all existing IT management staff

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Focusing exclusively on technical automation tools

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Ignoring existing business processes to start fresh