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Direct, Plan and Improve →mediumMultiple Choice

ITIL4-DPI Direct, Plan and Improve Practice Question

Exhibit

Policy: 'All incident resolution times must be reduced by 20% by Q3. Automated testing must be implemented for all high-risk changes. Monthly reports must be signed off by the CIO.'

Refer to the exhibit. As a DPI strategist, what is the most significant risk associated with this policy?

⚠ Common exam trap

Candidates often focus exclusively on the financial cost or technological benefits of a policy, missing the critical assessment of whether the organization possesses the capability to deliver it.

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

✓

It fails to account for the organizational capability to deliver these changes.

The policy mandates specific outcomes (20% reduction) and methods (automated testing) without providing the necessary context, cultural readiness, or alignment with overall strategic goals. This top-down approach risks creating 'malicious compliance' or sacrificing quality for speed. It fails to account for the 'Plan' aspect of DPI, which requires careful assessment of current capabilities before mandating aggressive, unproven performance improvements across the organization.

Answer analysis

Option-by-option breakdown

For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.

  • ✗

    It lacks clear definitions for the term 'high-risk' changes.

    Why it's wrong here

    While lack of definitions is a concern, it is secondary to the lack of strategic alignment. The policy's primary flaw is the directive nature of the goals without assessing organizational readiness. Focusing solely on terminology misses the broader DPI failure of imposing change without proper planning or consultation.

  • ✓

    It fails to account for the organizational capability to deliver these changes.

    Why this is correct

    The policy dictates outcomes without assessing the current capability or capacity of the teams. DPI requires that planning be based on a realistic understanding of current states. Without this assessment, the organization risks operational failure, burnout, and a decline in service quality, undermining the intended improvements.

  • ✗

    It requires CIO sign-off which slows down decision-making processes.

    Why it's wrong here

    While hierarchy can create bottlenecks, the core issue is the disconnect between strategic direction and tactical implementation. Focusing on the sign-off process overlooks the fundamental problem: the arbitrary nature of the mandated targets. The priority is to address the lack of planning and strategic alignment first.

  • ✗

    It uses automated testing which is not considered a best practice.

    Why it's wrong here

    Automated testing is a widely recognized best practice in modern IT service management. The issue is not the use of automation, but the mandate to implement it without considering the specific context or current skill sets. Criticizing the practice itself is incorrect; the error lies in the implementation approach.

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JA

Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security

Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva

Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official PeopleCert/AXELOS exam blueprint

This ITIL4-DPI practice question is part of Courseiva's free PeopleCert/AXELOS 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 ITIL4-DPI exam.