The correct answer is that the Change Manager is responsible but lacks authority to approve, which is a potential risk in a RACI matrix. This is because the Responsible party performs the work, while the Accountable party holds the final approval authority; marking the Change Manager as Responsible without also making them Accountable creates a gap where they may execute changes without the legal or organizational power to authorize them, leading to unauthorized approvals and compliance failures. On the CISA exam, this tests your understanding of RACI matrix governance and segregation of duties, often appearing as a trap where candidates confuse the roles of Responsible and Accountable. A common memory tip is to remember that Responsible “does the deed,” but Accountable “signs the check”—so if a change manager lacks authority, the matrix is misaligned.
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.
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
The following is a RACI matrix for the change management process:
Activity: Change request approval
Responsible: Change Manager (R)
Accountable: IT Director (A)
Consulted: Business Process Owner (C)
Informed: IT Operations (I)
Which of the following is a potential risk in this RACI matrix?
Refer to the exhibit.
The following is a RACI matrix for the change management process:
Activity: Change request approval
Responsible: Change Manager (R)
Accountable: IT Director (A)
Consulted: Business Process Owner (C)
Informed: IT Operations (I)
A
The IT Director is accountable but not informed of all changes.
Why wrong: The Accountable person does not need to be informed of every change; they remain accountable.
B
IT Operations is informed, but should be responsible for implementation.
Why wrong: IT Operations is informed, which is appropriate; implementation responsibility is a separate activity.
C
The Business Process Owner is consulted, which may delay approvals.
Why wrong: Consultation is appropriate and does not necessarily cause delays.
D
The Change Manager is responsible but lacks authority to approve.
If the Change Manager is responsible but not accountable, they may not have approval authority, leading to bypassed controls.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The Change Manager is responsible but lacks authority to approve.
Option B is correct because the Change Manager is marked as Responsible but typically the Responsible party performs the work; for approval, the Responsible party may lack the authority to approve (which would be Accountable). This creates a risk of unauthorized approvals. Option A is not a risk because Accountable can be informed later. Option C is fine; consultation is normal. Option D is not a concern because IT Operations is informed appropriately.
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.
✗
The IT Director is accountable but not informed of all changes.
Why it's wrong here
The Accountable person does not need to be informed of every change; they remain accountable.
✗
IT Operations is informed, but should be responsible for implementation.
Why it's wrong here
IT Operations is informed, which is appropriate; implementation responsibility is a separate activity.
✗
The Business Process Owner is consulted, which may delay approvals.
Why it's wrong here
Consultation is appropriate and does not necessarily cause delays.
✓
The Change Manager is responsible but lacks authority to approve.
Why this is correct
If the Change Manager is responsible but not accountable, they may not have approval authority, leading to bypassed controls.
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: The Change Manager is responsible but lacks authority to approve. — Option B is correct because the Change Manager is marked as Responsible but typically the Responsible party performs the work; for approval, the Responsible party may lack the authority to approve (which would be Accountable). This creates a risk of unauthorized approvals. Option A is not a risk because Accountable can be informed later. Option C is fine; consultation is normal. Option D is not a concern because IT Operations is informed appropriately.
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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