The answer is contact information for key stakeholders and emergency response teams, along with procedures for manual operations. These two elements are critical because a business continuity plan must enable immediate human coordination and operational continuity when automated systems fail, ensuring business resilience without relying on IT infrastructure. On the Certified Information Systems Auditor CISA exam, this distinction tests your understanding that BCP critical elements focus on people and processes—like manual procedures and contact info—rather than technical recovery steps, which belong to the IT disaster recovery plan. A common trap is confusing asset inventories or system restoration details with BCP essentials; remember that the BCP keeps the business running manually while the DRP fixes the technology. Memory tip: BCP = Business Continuity People, so think “Call and Do”—contact info for calling stakeholders, and manual procedures for doing the work.
CISA Practice Question: Information Systems Operations and Business Resilience
This CISA practice question tests your understanding of information systems operations and business resilience. 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 is evaluating its business continuity plan (BCP) to ensure alignment with the IT disaster recovery plan. Which TWO of the following are critical elements that should be included in the BCP to support effective business resilience?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Procedures for manual operations during system unavailability.
Option C (contact information for stakeholders) and Option E (procedures for manual operations) are essential BCP elements. Option A and B are more aligned with IT disaster recovery, and Option D is an asset inventory detail, not a critical BCP element.
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.
✗
A list of all critical IT applications with their recovery priorities.
Why it's wrong here
This is more relevant to IT disaster recovery planning, not the business continuity plan.
✓
Procedures for manual operations during system unavailability.
Why this is correct
Manual workarounds are essential for business continuity when systems are down.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
A complete inventory of hardware and software licenses.
Why it's wrong here
While useful, this is not a critical BCP element; it is more operational.
✓
Contact information for key stakeholders and emergency response teams.
Why this is correct
This is critical for communication during a business disruption.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Detailed step-by-step procedures for restoring network connectivity.
Why it's wrong here
Network restoration is a technical DR procedure, not a BCP element.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
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
How to think about this question
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.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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 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.
Information Systems Operations and Business Resilience — This question tests Information Systems Operations and Business Resilience — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Procedures for manual operations during system unavailability. — Option C (contact information for stakeholders) and Option E (procedures for manual operations) are essential BCP elements. Option A and B are more aligned with IT disaster recovery, and Option D is an asset inventory detail, not a critical BCP element.
What should I do if I get this CISA question wrong?
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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