ITIL4F ITIL Service Value System Practice Question
A user requests a new laptop because their current one is malfunctioning. According to ITIL 4, how should this be categorized?
⚠ Common exam trap
Watch out — candidates often confuse the initial incident (the malfunction) with the subsequent service request (the replacement), leading them to incorrectly select 'incident' instead of recognizing that the user's request for a new laptop is a standard fulfillment activity.
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
A user requesting a new laptop because their current one is malfunctioning is a pre-defined request for a standard service item, not an unplanned interruption. ITIL 4 defines a service request as a formal request for something to be provided – such as a replacement device – which follows a standard, approved procedure. This is distinct from an incident, which is an unplanned interruption or reduction in quality of an IT service.
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 change
Why it's wrong here
A user requesting a new laptop is not classified as a change. A change, in ITIL 4, refers to the addition, modification, or removal of anything that could have a direct or indirect effect on services, typically involving a formal assessment of risk and impact to the service or infrastructure. Requesting a standard piece of equipment like a laptop is a routine operational activity, not a modification to the service itself or a significant infrastructure alteration requiring formal change management processes.
- ✗
As a problem
Why it's wrong here
Categorizing a user's request for a new laptop as a problem is incorrect. A problem, according to ITIL 4, is defined as a cause, or potential cause, of one or more incidents. Problem management focuses on identifying the root causes of incidents and preventing their recurrence. The act of requesting a new laptop, even if the old one is malfunctioning, is a user action to obtain a resource, not the underlying cause of an incident or a recurring issue that requires root cause analysis.
- ✗
As an incident
Why it's wrong here
A user's request for a new laptop is not an incident. An incident is an unplanned interruption to a service or a reduction in the quality of a service. While the user's current malfunctioning laptop might represent an incident (an interruption to their ability to perform work), the *request* for a replacement is a user-initiated action to resolve or mitigate the impact, or to fulfill a standard need, rather than the unplanned interruption itself.
- ✓
As a service request
Why this is correct
A user requesting a new laptop is correctly classified as a service request. A service request is a formal request from a user for something standard that is part of normal service delivery, such as a request for information, advice, a standard change, or access to a service. These requests are typically pre-defined, often have a clear workflow, and are usually fulfilled with minimal risk, making a new laptop request a prime example of this category.
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JA
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.