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CISA Practice Question: Which TWO of the following are essential…
Which TWO of the following are essential components of a business case for a new system?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers confuse project management deliverables (like schedules and detailed architectures) with the strategic and financial justification required in a business case, leading them to select implementation schedule or detailed system architecture instead of the correct options.
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
✓
Alignment with business strategy.
Option C (Alignment with business strategy) is correct because a business case must demonstrate that the proposed system directly supports the organization's strategic goals and objectives, justifying why the investment is worthwhile from a business perspective. Option E (Cost-benefit analysis) is correct because a business case must quantify and compare the expected costs against the anticipated benefits (financial and non-financial) to show the investment delivers value and to support go/no-go decision-making. Option A (Implementation schedule) is not essential to the business case itself; scheduling belongs to the project plan and is derived after approval. Option B (Detailed system architecture) is a technical design artifact, not a business justification component. Option D (Risk assessment for all identified risks) is too absolute and belongs to risk management planning; while some risk consideration may appear in a business case, assessing every identified risk is not an essential component.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Implementation schedule.
Why it's wrong here
An implementation schedule is a project-planning artefact produced after approval, not part of the investment justification. It tempts because timelines appear in most proposals, but a business case must establish costs, benefits, options and risks before scheduling work.
- ✗
Detailed system architecture.
Why it's wrong here
A business case justifies investment through costs, benefits, options and risks; detailed system architecture belongs to the design phase after approval. It tempts because architecture feels substantive, yet it presupposes the decision the business case exists to support.
- ✓
Alignment with business strategy.
Why this is correct
A business case must demonstrate that the proposed system supports the organisation's strategic objectives, otherwise the investment cannot be justified to sponsors. Strategic alignment provides the rationale linking expected capability to business goals, and it is a mandatory component alongside financial justification.
- ✗
Risk assessment for all identified risks.
Why it's wrong here
A business case summarises key risks and mitigation at a high level; exhaustive risk assessment for all identified risks is performed later during project risk management. It tempts because risk is genuinely relevant, but the required component is a concise risk overview, not every risk.
- ✓
Cost-benefit analysis.
Why this is correct
A business case requires quantified comparison of expected benefits against total costs, including implementation, licensing, and ongoing operation. Without cost-benefit analysis, sponsors cannot judge whether the investment delivers value, making it an essential component of the justification for a new system.
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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.