mediumMultiple Choice
CISA Practice Question: An IT steering committee is evaluating a proposal…
An IT steering committee is evaluating a proposal to migrate critical applications to the cloud. Which factor is MOST important to ensure alignment with business strategy?
⚠ Common exam trap
CISA often tests the difference between tactical and strategic considerations; candidates may choose cost savings or security certifications as the most important, but strategic alignment with business objectives is the key governance principle.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
How the cloud migration supports the organization's strategic objectives
The most important factor to ensure alignment with business strategy is how the cloud migration supports the organization's strategic objectives. This ensures that the migration is not just a technical exercise but drives business value, competitive advantage, and long-term goals.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The migration schedule and resource availability
Why it's wrong here
Schedule and resourcing concern delivery feasibility, not strategic alignment. Alignment requires tracing the migration to business objectives and value outcomes. Planning factors are tempting because steering committees routinely track timelines, but they answer whether delivery is achievable, not whether the initiative supports the organisation's strategy.
- ✓
How the cloud migration supports the organization's strategic objectives
Why this is correct
Strategic alignment is judged by whether the migration advances the organisation's stated objectives, not by technical merit alone. Framing the proposal around strategic support gives the steering committee the criterion needed to approve investment consistent with business direction.
- ✗
The cloud provider's security certifications
Why it's wrong here
Certifications evidence the provider's control environment, addressing third-party and compliance risk rather than business-strategy alignment. They are tempting because assurance artefacts matter for critical applications, yet they speak to operational trust, not whether the migration advances the organisation's stated strategic objectives and expected benefits.
- ✗
Cost savings compared to on-premises solution
Why it's wrong here
Cost savings are a financial outcome, not evidence of strategic alignment. Alignment requires mapping the migration to business goals and value drivers. Savings tempt because cloud business cases foreground them, but a cheaper solution can still contradict strategy; the committee must first confirm the initiative supports organisational objectives.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
This CISA question is part of Courseiva's 934-question bank — original exam-style content with full explanations and wrong-answer analysis, never real exam questions or exam dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official ISACA exam blueprint
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.