ITIL4F ITIL Guiding Principles Practice Question
A project manager is planning a service improvement initiative. She decides to break the work into two-week sprints and hold a review meeting at the end of each sprint to adjust priorities. Which principal is she applying?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often confuse the iterative sprint structure with 'Collaborate and promote visibility' because reviews involve stakeholders, but the core of the question is the iterative feedback loop, not the collaboration aspect itself.
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
✓
Progress iteratively with feedback
The project manager is applying the 'Progress iteratively with feedback' guiding principle by breaking the work into two-week sprints and holding review meetings at the end of each sprint to adjust priorities. This principle emphasizes delivering value in small, incremental steps and using feedback loops to refine direction, which directly aligns with the iterative sprint cycle and review process described.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Progress iteratively with feedback
Why this is correct
The "Progress iteratively with feedback" guiding principle emphasizes breaking down work into smaller, manageable iterations, rather than attempting to deliver everything in one large effort. Each iteration produces a tangible output, which is then evaluated to gather crucial feedback from stakeholders. This continuous feedback loop is essential for learning and adapting, allowing for ongoing adjustment and improvement throughout the service improvement initiative, ensuring the final outcome aligns closely with evolving requirements and value objectives.
- ✗
Start where you are
Why it's wrong here
The "Start where you are" guiding principle emphasizes the importance of understanding the current state of services, processes, and existing capabilities before initiating any improvement effort. It advises against discarding existing resources or methods without first evaluating their potential utility and contribution. While a crucial initial step in any initiative, this principle focuses on initial assessment and leveraging existing assets, not on the subsequent execution methodology of working in cycles and incorporating feedback.
- ✗
Collaborate and promote visibility
Why it's wrong here
The "Collaborate and promote visibility" guiding principle stresses the importance of working together across teams and stakeholders, ensuring that information and progress are transparently shared. This fosters better decision-making and reduces silos, as all parties have a clear understanding of the initiative's status, challenges, and objectives. While review meetings inherently promote visibility, this principle primarily focuses on stakeholder engagement and transparent communication, rather than the specific approach of breaking work into cycles and using feedback for adaptation.
- ✗
Focus on value
Why it's wrong here
The "Focus on value" guiding principle dictates that all activities undertaken by the organization must directly or indirectly contribute to the creation of value for stakeholders. This involves understanding the customer's perspective and ensuring that every step in a service improvement initiative is aligned with delivering tangible benefits and desired outcomes. While an overarching objective for any ITIL activity, this principle defines the *why* behind an action, not the *how* of executing work in small, feedback-driven cycles to achieve that value.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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