easyMultiple Choice
CISA Uses a chargeback model for IT services Practice Question
An organization uses a chargeback model for IT services. What is the PRIMARY benefit of this approach?
⚠ Common exam trap
Watch out — candidates often confuse the benefit of cost visibility (which chargeback provides) with cost reduction, but the primary benefit is accountability, not necessarily lower spending.
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
✓
Increases business unit accountability for IT spending
The primary benefit of a chargeback model is that it increases business unit accountability for IT spending. By directly allocating IT costs to the consuming departments based on actual usage (e.g., compute hours, storage GB, network bandwidth), business units are incentivized to optimize their consumption and make cost-conscious decisions. This aligns IT expenditure with business value and promotes transparency, rather than treating IT as a sunk cost.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Simplifies IT budgeting
Why it's wrong here
Chargeback allocates actual consumed costs back to business units, which adds accounting granularity rather than simplifying the budgeting process. It is tempting because clearer cost visibility can inform budgets, but the primary benefit is accountability for consumption, not reduced budgeting effort.
- ✗
Reduces total IT costs
Why it's wrong here
Chargeback transfers cost visibility and accountability to consumers; it does not inherently lower total IT spend, since the same resources are still funded. It is tempting because accountability often prompts demand reduction, but cost reduction is a possible outcome, not the primary benefit.
- ✗
Improves IT service quality
Why it's wrong here
Chargeback addresses cost accountability and consumption transparency, not the quality of services delivered. It is tempting because cost pressure can indirectly influence service decisions, but quality improvement stems from service management processes, not from billing business units for usage.
- ✓
Increases business unit accountability for IT spending
Why this is correct
Chargeback bills each business unit directly for the IT services it consumes, making costs visible and attributable. This direct financial consequence drives units to manage demand and justify consumption, strengthening accountability for IT spending across the organisation.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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