mediumMultiple Choice
CISA Practice Question: Which ITIL 4 guiding principle emphasizes…
Which ITIL 4 guiding principle emphasizes understanding the current state and building on existing capabilities rather than starting from scratch?
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
✓
Start where you are
Start where you are means assessing current services and processes to identify what can be reused or improved.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Start where you are
Why this is correct
'Start where you are' directs teams to assess what already exists and reuse it, rather than discarding current capabilities. This directly satisfies the stem's requirement to build on existing capabilities instead of starting from scratch, avoiding unnecessary rework and cost.
- ✗
Focus on value
Why it's wrong here
Focus on value directs decisions toward what the consumer perceives as valuable, not toward assessing current capabilities. It tempts because value delivery underpins all ITIL 4 practise, but the principle describing understanding the current state and reusing existing assets is Start where you are.
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Progress iteratively
Why it's wrong here
Progress iteratively concerns breaking work into smaller, manageable increments delivered in feedback loops, not assessing existing capability. It tempts because iteration does build on prior increments, but the principle addressing the current state and reusing what already exists is Start where you are.
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Keep it simple
Why it's wrong here
Keep it simple concerns eliminating unnecessary complexity and reducing waste, not evaluating the current state or reusing existing capabilities. It tempts because simplicity can involve leveraging what already exists, but the principle explicitly covering understanding the current state and building on it is Start where you are.
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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.