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?
⚠ Common exam trap
ITIL4F often tests the boundary between service requests and changes, so candidates who see 'hardware' and jump to change request miss that standard pre-approved fulfillment is a service request.
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
A new laptop for onboarding is a standard, pre-approved, low-risk request that follows a defined fulfillment workflow, which ITIL 4 classifies as a service request. It is not a failure or unplanned event, so it does not meet the definitions of incident, problem, or change.
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.
- ✗
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.
- ✗
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.
- ✗
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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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 exam blueprint
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.