ITIL4-DPI Direct, Plan and Improve Practice Question
When applying the 'Focus on Value' principle in a 'Direct, Plan and Improve' scenario, what is the best way to determine if a service remains valuable?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often rely on internal provider metrics or financial cost-cutting reports, forgetting that ITIL explicitly dictates that value is defined by the customer's outcomes.
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
✓
Solicit regular feedback from the customer on outcomes.
The most effective way to determine value is to continuously monitor and measure the service against the outcomes the customer expects. Value is defined by the customer, not the provider. By engaging in ongoing dialogue and analyzing performance data, a strategist ensures that the service remains aligned with the customer's changing business needs, allowing for timely improvements and preventing the delivery of services that no longer serve a meaningful purpose.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Calculate the total cost of ownership every month.
Why it's wrong here
Cost is a metric for the provider, not a measure of value for the customer. A service could have a low cost but still provide zero value. Focusing only on cost ignores the customer's experience and the actual business outcomes, which are the true indicators of a service's ongoing value.
- ✓
Solicit regular feedback from the customer on outcomes.
Why this is correct
Customer feedback provides direct insight into whether the service is achieving the desired outcomes. Since value is subjective and defined by the recipient, active, regular engagement with customers is the only reliable way to understand their evolving needs and ensure that the service continues to deliver the expected benefits.
- ✗
Check that all technical service levels are met.
Why it's wrong here
Meeting SLAs is a measure of operational reliability, not necessarily value. A service can be 100% available according to technical metrics but still be useless to the customer if it does not address their specific business problems. Technical performance is a prerequisite for value, not a replacement for it.
- ✗
Compare the service against industry benchmarks.
Why it's wrong here
Benchmarking compares the service to others, but it does not tell you if it meets the specific needs of your customer. A service might be 'industry standard' but completely irrelevant to your customer's goals. Value is contextual, so benchmarking is a secondary activity at best for measuring current value.
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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.