Quick Answer
The answer is establishing a project management office (PMO). A PMO is the most effective governance practice because it enforces standardized project management methodologies, provides centralized oversight, and ensures consistent reporting and accountability, directly targeting the root causes of project delays and budget overruns. On the Certified Information Systems Auditor CISA exam, this question tests your understanding of IT governance frameworks and the PMO’s role in aligning projects with organizational objectives, often appearing as a distractor against Agile or outsourcing options. A common trap is choosing Agile, but remember that Agile focuses on iterative delivery, not the overarching governance needed to control scope creep and cost variance. Memory tip: PMO = Process, Metrics, Oversight—the three pillars that prevent delays and overruns.
This CISA practice question tests your understanding of governance and management of it. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
An IT department is struggling with project delays and budget overruns. Which governance practice would be MOST effective?
Establishing a project management office (PMO)
PMO provides governance, standards, and oversight.
Outsourcing projects
Why wrong: Outsourcing transfers but does not resolve governance gaps.
Increasing IT staff
Why wrong: More staff may not fix process deficiencies.
Adopting agile methodology
Why wrong: Agile can improve delivery but does not inherently provide governance.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Establishing a project management office (PMO)
Establishing a Project Management Office (PMO) provides standardized project management practices, oversight, and governance, addressing delays and overruns. Agile methodology alone may not provide governance; increasing staff or outsourcing may not solve underlying issues.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Establishing a project management office (PMO)
Why this is correct
PMO provides governance, standards, and oversight.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Outsourcing projects
Why it's wrong here
Outsourcing transfers but does not resolve governance gaps.
Increasing IT staff
Why it's wrong here
More staff may not fix process deficiencies.
Adopting agile methodology
Why it's wrong here
Agile can improve delivery but does not inherently provide governance.
Common exam traps
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A practitioner preparing for the CISA exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Identify which CISA exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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FAQ
Governance and Management of IT — This question tests Governance and Management of IT — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Establishing a project management office (PMO) — Establishing a Project Management Office (PMO) provides standardized project management practices, oversight, and governance, addressing delays and overruns. Agile methodology alone may not provide governance; increasing staff or outsourcing may not solve underlying issues.
Identify which CISA exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
This CISA practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISACA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the CISA exam.
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