SNOW-CAD User Interface Development Practice Question
A large enterprise uses ServiceNow for IT Service Management. They have a custom Service Portal for end-users to submit catalog requests. Recently, mobile users reported that the portal is extremely slow on their devices, while desktop users experience no issues. The portal theme uses many custom CSS animations and high-resolution images. Additionally, the widget client scripts are complex and make multiple GlideAjax calls on page load. The development team wants to optimize mobile performance without redesigning the entire portal. Evaluate the options and select the best course of action.
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
✓
Consolidate multiple GlideAjax calls into a single server-side script and use mobile-optimized images
The best course of action because consolidating multiple GlideAjax calls into a single server-side script reduces the number of network round trips, which is critical for mobile performance where latency and bandwidth are limited. Using mobile-optimized images (smaller dimensions, compressed) directly reduces data transfer and rendering load. Option A (caching and CDN) helps but does not address the initial load issue or the multiple calls. Option C (removing animations and using SVG) reduces client-side rendering overhead but does not tackle the primary bottleneck of excessive GlideAjax calls. Option D (lazy loading and deferred calls) can improve perceived performance but still initiates the same number of calls eventually, and deferring essential calls may delay functionality.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Increase server-side caching for widgets and use a CDN for static assets
Why it's wrong here
Caching improves repeat visits but does not help the initial load on mobile where bandwidth and processing are limited.
- ✓
Consolidate multiple GlideAjax calls into a single server-side script and use mobile-optimized images
Why this is correct
Reducing the number of server round trips and using lighter images directly improves mobile performance by decreasing network latency and rendering effort.
- ✗
Remove all custom CSS animations and replace high-res images with scalable vector graphics
Why it's wrong here
This reduces rendering load but does not address the multiple GlideAjax calls which are a major contributor to slowness.
- ✗
Implement lazy loading for images and defer all GlideAjax calls until after page load
Why it's wrong here
While lazy loading helps, deferring all calls still results in multiple sequential calls that spike CPU on mobile.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This SNOW-CAD practice question is part of Courseiva's free ServiceNow 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 SNOW-CAD exam.