ITIL4F Four Dimensions of IT Service Management Practice Question
When a change is low-risk and can be implemented without a formal change request, which type of change is this?
⚠ Common exam trap
Watch out — candidates often confuse a Standard change with a Service request, but a Service request is a user-initiated request for something that is not a change (e.g., password reset), while a Standard change is a pre-approved change to an IT service or infrastructure component.
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
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Standard change
A Standard change is a pre-approved, low-risk change that follows a documented procedure and does not require a formal change request or approval from the Change Authority. In ITIL 4, this type of change is typically implemented via a service request or a predefined workflow, such as applying a routine security patch or provisioning a standard virtual machine. The key differentiator is that the risk and impact are well-understood and the procedure is already authorized, making it suitable for implementation without a formal change request.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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Standard change
Why this is correct
A Standard change is pre-authorised and follows a defined, low-risk procedure, satisfying the stem’s constraint that no formal change request is needed. This contrasts with a Normal change, which always requires a formal request and approval, and an Emergency change, which demands urgent authorisation. The axis of difference is the pre-approval status: Standard changes are approved in advance by the change authority, enabling implementation without a new request each time.
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Normal change
Why it's wrong here
Normal changes require approval from a change authority.
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Emergency change
Why it's wrong here
Emergency changes are for urgent issues and also require approval.
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Service request
Why it's wrong here
A service request is a type of request, but the change type is standard.
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