ITIL4F ITIL Management Practices Practice Question
A user requests a new laptop as part of the onboarding process. According to ITIL 4, how should this be classified?
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
✓
As a service request, because it is a standard, pre-approved request
Service requests are predefined, pre-approved, and follow a standard process, unlike incidents which are unplanned.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
As a service request, because it is a standard, pre-approved request
Why this is correct
A service request is a formal request from a user for something that is part of normal service delivery, often pre-defined and pre-approved within a service catalog. Onboarding a new employee with a standard laptop is a common, repeatable activity that fits the definition of a service request for a standard offering. It follows an established, streamlined process for efficient fulfillment, rather than requiring extensive assessment.
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As a problem, because it may cause future issues
Why it's wrong here
A problem, in ITIL 4, is defined as the cause, or potential cause, of one or more incidents. The request for a new laptop for an onboarding employee is a planned and expected operational activity, not an underlying defect, unknown cause, or recurring issue that leads to service disruption. There is no evidence presented that this request itself is a symptom of a deeper, unresolved issue.
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As a change request, because it involves hardware
Why it's wrong here
A change is the addition, modification, or removal of anything that could have a direct or indirect effect on services. While providing a new laptop does involve modifying a user's assets, it is typically managed as a service request when it represents a standard, low-risk, and pre-approved item within an existing service offering. Service requests act as the efficient fulfillment mechanism for such routine, pre-authorized changes, avoiding the more rigorous change enablement process.
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As an incident, because it requires IT action
Why it's wrong here
An incident is an unplanned interruption to a service or a reduction in the quality of a service, requiring immediate action to restore normal service operation as quickly as possible. A user requesting a new laptop for onboarding is a planned, expected activity, not an unexpected disruption or failure of an existing service component. It is a request for a new service component, not a restoration of a failed one.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This ITIL4F practice question is part of Courseiva's free PeopleCert 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 ITIL4F exam.