This CRISC practice question tests your understanding of it risk identification. 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.
Which TWO of the following are primary sources of risk identification for IT projects? (Select exactly 2.)
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "primary"
Why it matters: Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Project documentation
Project documentation (Option B) is a primary source of risk identification because it contains the project scope, schedule, requirements, and assumptions that directly reveal potential risks such as resource constraints or scope creep. Lessons learned from previous projects (Option E) provide empirical data on actual risks encountered, mitigation effectiveness, and failure patterns, making them a critical input for identifying risks in new IT projects. Both sources are explicitly cited in the CRISC Review Manual as foundational inputs for the risk identification process.
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.
✗
Security baseline
Why it's wrong here
A security baseline is a control, not a source for identification.
✓
Project documentation
Why this is correct
Requirements, design, and architecture documents contain information to identify risks.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Risk treatment plan
Why it's wrong here
The risk treatment plan is an output of risk management, not a source for identification.
✗
Firewall logs
Why it's wrong here
Firewall logs are operational data, not a primary source for project risk identification.
✓
Lessons learned from previous projects
Why this is correct
Historical data helps identify risks that have occurred before.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" 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 confuse operational artifacts (like firewall logs or security baselines) with project-level risk identification sources, or mistakenly think the risk treatment plan is an input rather than an output of the risk identification process.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
The risk treatment plan is an output of risk management, not a source for identification.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In CRISC, risk identification relies on both internal and external sources; project documentation (e.g., Work Breakdown Structure, project charter) exposes risks like resource dependency or schedule compression, while lessons learned databases (often stored in a Knowledge Management System) provide historical risk registers and root cause analyses. For example, a lesson learned from a previous cloud migration project might reveal that insufficient API rate limit testing led to downtime, which directly informs risk identification for a similar new project. This aligns with ISO 31010 risk assessment techniques, where checklists and historical data are foundational for identifying risks before any treatment planning begins.
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 small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
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.
IT Risk Identification — This question tests IT Risk Identification — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Project documentation — Project documentation (Option B) is a primary source of risk identification because it contains the project scope, schedule, requirements, and assumptions that directly reveal potential risks such as resource constraints or scope creep. Lessons learned from previous projects (Option E) provide empirical data on actual risks encountered, mitigation effectiveness, and failure patterns, making them a critical input for identifying risks in new IT projects. Both sources are explicitly cited in the CRISC Review Manual as foundational inputs for the risk identification process.
What should I do if I get this CRISC 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: "primary". Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
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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