The correct answer is delayed decision-making on IT investments because the steering committee’s primary role is to approve and prioritize major IT projects and expenditures. When the committee fails to meet for six months, the organization lacks a formal governance body to review business cases, allocate budgets, and resolve resource conflicts, causing critical investment decisions to stall. On the CISA exam, this question tests your understanding of IT governance structures and the steering committee’s function as a decision-making body, not just an advisory group. A common trap is choosing “increased project failures” or “security gaps,” but those are secondary or indirect consequences—the most immediate and direct impact is paralysis in capital allocation. Remember the memory tip: “No meeting, no green light”—without regular steering committee sessions, no major IT investments get the go-ahead.
CISA Governance and Management of IT Practice Question
This CISA practice question tests your understanding of governance and management of it. 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 IT audit revealed that the organization's IT steering committee has not met in the past six months. Which of the following is the MOST likely consequence of this situation?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Delayed decision-making on IT investments.
Option B is correct because the steering committee is responsible for approving and prioritizing IT investments; lack of meetings delays decision-making. Option A may occur but is less direct. Option C is unrelated. Option D may happen but is secondary.
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.
✗
Higher IT staff turnover.
Why it's wrong here
Staff turnover is not directly affected by committee meetings.
✗
Increased number of security incidents.
Why it's wrong here
Security incidents are influenced by operational controls, not committee meetings.
✗
Inconsistent IT policies across departments.
Why it's wrong here
Policy consistency may be affected but not as immediate as investment delays.
✓
Delayed decision-making on IT investments.
Why this is correct
The committee's primary role is to make strategic decisions.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" 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
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.
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: Delayed decision-making on IT investments. — Option B is correct because the steering committee is responsible for approving and prioritizing IT investments; lack of meetings delays decision-making. Option A may occur but is less direct. Option C is unrelated. Option D may happen but is secondary.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
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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