CISA Practice Question: Information Systems Acquisition, Development, and Implementation
During a change management audit, which TWO of the following are essential elements of a normal change request? (Select two.)
⚠ Common exam trap
CISA often tests the confusion between elements of a change request and steps in the change management process, such as approval or implementation assignment, leading candidates to select non-essential items.
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
✓
Justification for the change
Option B (Justification for the change) is correct because a normal change request must document the business or technical reason for the change so the Change Advisory Board (CAB) can assess whether the change is warranted and aligned with organizational objectives. Option D (Impact analysis) is correct because it identifies the potential effects of the change on services, configuration items, users, and risk levels, which is essential for the CAB to evaluate risk and approve, defer, or reject the change. Option A is not essential because the specific developer's name is an implementation detail typically captured in the change schedule or task assignment, not a required element of the change request itself. Option C is not essential because approval authority for normal changes rests with the Change Advisory Board or designated change manager, not necessarily the project manager. Option E is not essential because listing every affected user is impractical and unnecessary; impact analysis addresses affected user groups and services at an appropriate level of detail.
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 name of the developer who will implement the change
Why it's wrong here
Naming the implementing developer addresses task assignment, not change control. A normal change request documents what changes, why, its risk and rollback, plus approval. Developer identity is operational scheduling detail captured later, so it is not an essential request element.
- ✓
Justification for the change
Why this is correct
A change request must state why the change is needed, letting the change advisory board weigh business benefit against risk and cost. Without documented justification, approval decisions lack a defensible basis, so this is essential for normal changes.
- ✗
The project manager's approval
Why it's wrong here
Project manager approval is not the change authorisation path; the change advisory board or delegated change owner approves. A normal change request records description, justification, risk assessment, rollback plan and approval status. Project governance approval is separate from change management control.
- ✓
Impact analysis
Why this is correct
Impact analysis satisfies the audit requirement by documenting the change's potential effect on systems, services and controls before approval. It evidences that risk was assessed, enabling the change advisory board to authorise, defer or reject the request, and provides the traceability auditors expect within the change management process.
- ✗
A list of all users affected
Why it's wrong here
Affected-user lists support impact assessment and communication, not change authorisation. A normal change request centres on the change description, justification, risk, rollback plan and approval. User lists belong to release or communication planning, so they are not essential request elements.
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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.