ITIL4-DPI Direct, Plan and Improve Practice Question
When applying the DPI principle of 'Start where you are,' what is the primary risk an organization should evaluate?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often assume 'Start where you are' means 'keeping everything we currently have,' failing to realize the risk is specifically about retaining legacy processes that are obsolete or wasteful.
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
✓
The risk of retaining obsolete practices that add no value
The 'Start where you are' principle requires assessing the current state to identify what can be reused. The primary risk is 'confirmation bias' or relying on legacy processes that are no longer relevant, leading to the preservation of waste. By critically evaluating existing assets, organizations ensure they do not carry over obsolete practices that hinder agility or add unnecessary cost to the new target state.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The risk of ignoring external market trends
Why it's wrong here
While market trends are crucial, this principle specifically focuses on internal current-state assessment. Ignoring market trends is a failure of external environment scanning, not a specific risk of the 'Start where you are' principle. The focus here is on internal assets and the dangers of misusing them during transformation.
- ✓
The risk of retaining obsolete practices that add no value
Why this is correct
Retaining legacy practices that no longer serve a purpose is a major risk. 'Start where you are' is not about preserving everything, but about evaluating what exists. Failing to prune these processes results in wasted effort, complexity, and resistance to the necessary changes required to achieve the new strategic goals.
- ✗
The risk of insufficient budget for new tools
Why it's wrong here
Budget constraints are a financial planning concern, not the primary risk of this specific principle. The goal of 'Start where you are' is to maximize the utility of existing assets, which actually helps mitigate budget risks. It is a strategic approach to efficiency rather than a specific financial forecasting issue.
- ✗
The risk of poor communication during the transition
Why it's wrong here
Communication is a critical success factor for any change, but it is not the specific risk associated with the assessment of current-state assets. The danger here is technical and process-oriented, specifically regarding the misapplication of current capabilities to future needs, rather than the general risk of internal organizational messaging.
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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.