hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
CISA Practice Question: During a system development project, the project…
During a system development project, the project manager notices that the actual cost is significantly higher than the planned cost at the 50% completion point. The earned value (EV) is $500,000, the actual cost (AC) is $600,000, and the planned value (PV) is $550,000. Which of the following is the MOST appropriate action?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is that candidates often jump to a corrective action (like crashing or requesting more budget) without first diagnosing the root cause, but the CISA exam emphasizes that analysis must precede action in project management.
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
✓
Conduct a root cause analysis to identify the reasons for cost overrun
The project is over budget (EV $500K vs AC $600K) and behind schedule (EV $500K vs PV $550K). Before taking corrective action, the project manager must first perform a root cause analysis to understand why costs are exceeding planned values. This aligns with the CISA’s emphasis on identifying the underlying cause of variances before implementing changes to scope, budget, or schedule.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Request additional budget from senior management
Why it's wrong here
This does not address the root cause of cost overrun.
- ✗
Reduce the project scope to align with the budget
Why it's wrong here
Scope reduction is a last resort; first understand why costs are high.
- ✓
Conduct a root cause analysis to identify the reasons for cost overrun
Why this is correct
Understanding the cause is the first step before taking corrective action.
- ✗
Crash the project schedule to make up for lost time
Why it's wrong here
The project is behind schedule, but crashing would increase costs further.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.