- A
Regular background checks on provider employees
Why wrong: Background checks are important for security but do not directly measure service quality.
- B
Access to provider's incident management system
Why wrong: Access is operational but does not guarantee service quality.
- C
Monthly meetings with provider management
Why wrong: Meetings are useful but not as critical as a formal, enforceable SLA.
- D
Service level agreement (SLA) with key performance indicators
SLA with KPIs provides measurable standards and remedies for non-performance.
Question 532 of 1,000
hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
CISA Practice Question: Has outsourced its IT help desk to a third-party…
This CISA practice question tests your understanding of cisa exam topics. 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 organization has outsourced its IT help desk to a third-party provider. Which of the following is the MOST critical control to ensure service quality?
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
✓
Service level agreement (SLA) with key performance indicators
A Service Level Agreement (SLA) with key performance indicators (KPIs) is the most critical control because it defines measurable targets (e.g., average speed to answer, first-call resolution rate, ticket closure time) and establishes contractual remedies for non-compliance. Without an SLA, the organization has no enforceable mechanism to hold the provider accountable for service quality, making it the foundational control for outsourced IT help desk governance.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Regular background checks on provider employees
Why it's wrong here
Background checks are important for security but do not directly measure service quality.
- ✗
Access to provider's incident management system
Why it's wrong here
Access is operational but does not guarantee service quality.
- ✗
Monthly meetings with provider management
Why it's wrong here
Meetings are useful but not as critical as a formal, enforceable SLA.
- ✓
Service level agreement (SLA) with key performance indicators
Why this is correct
SLA with KPIs provides measurable standards and remedies for non-performance.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse operational or security controls (background checks, system access, meetings) with the contractual governance control (SLA) that directly enforces and measures service quality, leading them to pick a plausible but less critical option.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
An SLA for an outsourced help desk typically includes KPIs such as Average Speed to Answer (ASA) measured in seconds, First Call Resolution (FCR) rate as a percentage, and ticket escalation thresholds. The SLA also defines service credits or penalties for breaches, which are calculated using automated reporting from the provider's ticketing system (e.g., ServiceNow, Jira Service Management) to ensure objective measurement. In practice, without an SLA, the organization has no contractual basis to enforce remediation or financial recovery, making it the linchpin of service quality assurance.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
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
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Related practice questions
Related CISA practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Governance and Management of IT practice questions
Practise CISA questions linked to Governance and Management of IT.
Information Systems Acquisition, Development and Implementation practice questions
Practise CISA questions linked to Information Systems Acquisition, Development and Implementation.
Information Systems Operations and Business Resilience practice questions
Practise CISA questions linked to Information Systems Operations and Business Resilience.
Information System Auditing Process practice questions
Practise CISA questions linked to Information System Auditing Process.
Information Systems Acquisition, Development, and Implementation practice questions
Practise CISA questions linked to Information Systems Acquisition, Development, and Implementation.
Protection of Information Assets practice questions
Practise CISA questions linked to Protection of Information Assets.
CISA fundamentals practice questions
Practise CISA questions linked to CISA fundamentals.
CISA scenario practice questions
Practise CISA questions linked to CISA scenario.
CISA troubleshooting practice questions
Practise CISA questions linked to CISA troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Start a free CISA practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CISA question test?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Service level agreement (SLA) with key performance indicators — A Service Level Agreement (SLA) with key performance indicators (KPIs) is the most critical control because it defines measurable targets (e.g., average speed to answer, first-call resolution rate, ticket closure time) and establishes contractual remedies for non-compliance. Without an SLA, the organization has no enforceable mechanism to hold the provider accountable for service quality, making it the foundational control for outsourced IT help desk governance.
What should I do if I get this CISA question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Last reviewed: Jul 4, 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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.