Match each ITIL 4 term related to incidents and problems.
Drag a concept onto its matching description — or click a concept then click the description.
Unplanned interruption or reduction in quality of a service
Root cause of one or more incidents
Temporary solution to restore service until permanent fix is available
A problem with a documented root cause and workaround
A pre-defined request from a user for information or access
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Incident: Unplanned interruption or reduction in quality of an IT service.
The correct matches are: Incident (unplanned interruption/reduction), Problem (root cause of incidents), Workaround (temporary solution), Known Error (problem with documented root cause and workaround). Common confusions include swapping Incident and Problem definitions.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Incident: Unplanned interruption or reduction in quality of an IT service.
Why this is correct
An Incident represents an immediate, adverse event impacting an IT service, such as a system outage or degraded performance. Its primary characteristic is the unplanned nature of the interruption, directly affecting users' ability to consume the service. Effective incident management focuses on restoring normal service operation as quickly as possible to minimize business impact.
Problem: A cause of one or more incidents.
Why this is correct
A Problem, in ITIL 4, is the underlying cause of one or more incidents, even if the cause is not yet known. It represents a deeper issue that, if left unaddressed, can lead to recurring service disruptions. Problem Management aims to identify, analyze, and eliminate these root causes to prevent future incidents.
Workaround: A temporary solution that reduces or eliminates impact of an incident or problem.
Why this is correct
A Workaround is a temporary measure designed to reduce or eliminate the impact of an incident or problem when a full resolution is not immediately available. Its purpose is to restore service functionality or mitigate disruption for users while a permanent fix is being developed. Workarounds are crucial for maintaining service continuity and managing user expectations during complex issue resolution.
Known Error: A problem that has been analyzed and has a documented root cause and workaround.
Why this is correct
A Known Error signifies a problem that has been thoroughly analyzed, leading to a documented root cause and a defined workaround. This status indicates that the underlying issue is understood, and a temporary solution is available to mitigate its impact. Managing Known Errors efficiently helps in preventing future incidents and expediting incident resolution by providing pre-defined solutions.
Incident: A cause of one or more incidents.
Why it's wrong here
This definition incorrectly describes a Problem, not an Incident. An Incident is an unplanned interruption of service, an *effect*, whereas 'a cause of one or more incidents' points to the underlying *reason* for such interruptions. Confusing these terms can lead to misdirected efforts, focusing on root cause analysis when immediate service restoration is paramount.
Problem: Unplanned interruption of service.
Why it's wrong here
This statement incorrectly defines a Problem as an 'unplanned interruption of service,' which is the precise definition of an Incident. A Problem, conversely, is the underlying cause of such interruptions, not the interruption itself. Misidentifying a Problem as an Incident can lead to a reactive 'fix the symptom' approach rather than proactive 'eliminate the cause' problem management.
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One of 531 original ITIL4F practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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.