The answer is that skipping the design phase in SDLC most significantly increases the risks that the system will not meet user requirements and will have inadequate security controls. This occurs because the design phase is where high-level requirements are translated into a detailed technical blueprint, including system architecture, data flow, and security specifications. Without this structured translation, functional gaps emerge between what users need and what developers build, while security requirements—such as authentication, encryption, and input validation—are never formally integrated, leading to ad hoc, vulnerable implementations. On the CISA exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the SDLC as a risk management framework; a common trap is to focus on coding errors or budget overruns, but the core issue is that the design phase is the only stage where both functional and non-functional requirements are systematically reconciled. Remember the mnemonic “No Design, No Defense” to recall that skipping design directly undermines both user satisfaction and security posture.
CISA Practice Question: Information Systems Acquisition, Development and Implementation
This CISA practice question tests your understanding of information systems acquisition, development and implementation. 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 IS auditor is reviewing the system development life cycle (SDLC) for a custom application. The project manager has decided to skip the design phase and proceed directly from requirements to coding. Which of the following risks are MOST likely to increase as a result? (Choose two.)
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
✓
Inadequate security controls.
Skipping the design phase means that security requirements are never formally defined or integrated into the system architecture. Without a security design, controls such as authentication, authorization, encryption, and input validation are likely to be omitted or implemented ad hoc, leading to inadequate security controls. This directly increases the risk of vulnerabilities that could be exploited in production.
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.
✗
Delays in project schedule.
Why it's wrong here
Skipping a phase could shorten schedule initially, not necessarily delay.
✗
Increased cost due to rework.
Why it's wrong here
Rework is more associated with testing, not specifically design.
✗
Increased number of defects during unit testing.
Why it's wrong here
Defects are more related to coding and testing, not design.
✓
Inadequate security controls.
Why this is correct
Security controls are often defined in the design phase.
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.
✓
The system may not meet user requirements.
Why this is correct
Without design, the system may not fulfill requirements.
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
The trap here is that candidates focus on project management risks (schedule, cost, defects) rather than the specific security and requirements risks that are most directly amplified when the design phase is omitted, as the design phase is where both functional and non-functional requirements (including security) are translated into a technical blueprint.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In the SDLC, the design phase produces artifacts such as data flow diagrams, entity-relationship diagrams, and security architecture models (e.g., threat models using STRIDE). Skipping this phase means there is no formal specification for security controls like encryption at rest (AES-256) or in transit (TLS 1.3), no defined access control lists (ACLs), and no input validation schemas. In a real-world scenario, this could lead to a custom application being deployed with hardcoded credentials or SQL injection vulnerabilities that could have been prevented during design.
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 junior network technician can log in to a core router but cannot reach the enable prompt or configuration mode. The AAA server is authenticating the login — but the authorisation policy only grants privilege level 1, not 15. Authentication (who you are) is working; authorisation (what you can do) is not.
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.
Information Systems Acquisition, Development and Implementation — This question tests Information Systems Acquisition, Development and Implementation — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Inadequate security controls. — Skipping the design phase means that security requirements are never formally defined or integrated into the system architecture. Without a security design, controls such as authentication, authorization, encryption, and input validation are likely to be omitted or implemented ad hoc, leading to inadequate security controls. This directly increases the risk of vulnerabilities that could be exploited in production.
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: "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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. An IS auditor is reviewing the system development life cycle (SDLC) methodology. Which phase should include the development of detailed test plans?
easy
A.Requirements definition.
✓ B.System design.
C.Coding and unit testing.
D.User acceptance testing.
Why B: Detailed test plans should be developed during the system design phase because this is when the system's architecture, interfaces, and data flows are fully specified. Creating test plans at this stage ensures that tests are aligned with the design specifications and can validate that the implemented system meets the intended technical requirements, rather than waiting until after coding.
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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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.
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