The answer is to adhere to the governance policy and escalate the risk to the steering committee. This is correct because IT governance frameworks mandate that user acceptance testing (UAT) is a non-negotiable control for validating system functionality and safety, especially in a healthcare EHR deployment where patient data integrity is at stake. Skipping UAT would violate the organization’s explicit policy and expose the project to unacceptable quality and compliance failures, making escalation the only proper path to transfer the decision to the appropriate authority. On the CISA exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the Governance and Management of IT domain, specifically the principle that risk acceptance must occur at the correct governance level, not by the project manager under pressure. A common trap is choosing to compromise by running a partial UAT, but the correct response always prioritizes policy adherence and formal escalation over informal shortcuts. Memory tip: think “UAT is non-negotiable—escalate, don’t truncate.”
CISA Governance and Management of IT Practice Question
This CISA practice question tests your understanding of governance and management of it. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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.
Scenario: A healthcare organization is implementing a new electronic health records (EHR) system. The project has been delayed due to scope creep and resource constraints. The project sponsor is pressuring the project manager to accelerate the timeline by skipping user acceptance testing (UAT) and going live immediately. The organization has a governance policy that requires all IT projects to complete UAT before deployment. The project manager is concerned about quality and patient safety. Which of the following is the BEST course of action?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "best"
Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Clue: "immediately / without restart"
Why it matters: Time or reboot constraint — the correct answer must take effect right away without requiring a reboot or reload.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Adhere to the governance policy and escalate the risk to the steering committee for a decision.
Option D is correct because the governance policy mandates UAT before deployment, and skipping it could compromise patient safety and data integrity in the EHR system. By escalating the risk to the steering committee, the project manager ensures that the decision is made at the appropriate governance level, balancing project pressures with compliance and quality. This approach aligns with the CISA domain of Governance and Management of IT, where adherence to policies and risk escalation are key controls.
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.
✗
Compromise by conducting a limited UAT on only critical functionalities.
Why it's wrong here
Partial UAT may still miss defects and is not full compliance.
✗
Resign from the project due to ethical concerns.
Why it's wrong here
Extreme; the manager should escalate the issue first.
✗
Accept the sponsor's request and skip UAT to meet the deadline.
Why it's wrong here
Violates governance policy and risks patient safety.
✓
Adhere to the governance policy and escalate the risk to the steering committee for a decision.
Why this is correct
Follows policy and involves proper governance body.
Clue confirmation
The clue words "best", "immediately / without restart" in the question point toward this answer.
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 may choose a compromise (Option A) thinking it balances speed and quality, but it still violates the governance policy and fails to address the root cause of scope creep and resource constraints through proper escalation.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In healthcare IT, UAT validates that the EHR system meets clinical workflows, data accuracy, and security requirements under real-world conditions. Skipping UAT could lead to undetected errors in medication reconciliation, lab result interfaces, or access controls, potentially violating HIPAA or causing adverse patient events. Escalation to the steering committee ensures that the decision is documented and approved by the governing body, preserving audit trails and accountability.
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 small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
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.
Governance and Management of IT — This question tests Governance and Management of IT — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Adhere to the governance policy and escalate the risk to the steering committee for a decision. — Option D is correct because the governance policy mandates UAT before deployment, and skipping it could compromise patient safety and data integrity in the EHR system. By escalating the risk to the steering committee, the project manager ensures that the decision is made at the appropriate governance level, balancing project pressures with compliance and quality. This approach aligns with the CISA domain of Governance and Management of IT, where adherence to policies and risk escalation are key controls.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best", "immediately / without restart". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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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