ITIL ITILFND V4 Foundation Exam Dumps and Practice Test Questions Set 15 Q211-225
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Question211
A company plans to replace an outdated IT service with a new digital solution. Before deployment, the team evaluates potential impacts, defines rollback procedures, and ensures all stakeholders approve the implementation. Which ITIL 4 practice is being applied?
A) Change enablement
B) Service design
C) Release management
D) Service continuity management
Answer: A
Explanation:
The scenario describes a structured process for introducing a new service while managing risks. ITIL 4 defines change enablement as the practice responsible for ensuring that all modifications to services, systems, or processes are assessed, authorized, and implemented in a controlled manner. Change enablement seeks to maximize benefits while minimizing adverse impacts on the organization.
Evaluating potential impacts before implementing a new service aligns with proactive risk assessment. This step identifies possible disruptions to users, technical dependencies, and operational challenges. By defining rollback procedures, the organization ensures that if issues arise during deployment, the service can revert to its previous state without causing prolonged disruption or data loss. Rollback planning is an essential part of risk mitigation and demonstrates the practice’s focus on safeguarding business operations.
Obtaining stakeholder approval is a governance measure, ensuring that all relevant parties are informed of potential risks and have consented to the planned change. This aligns with ITIL 4’s guiding principles, including collaborate and promote visibility, focus on value, and keep it simple and practical. Change enablement ensures that all modifications are coordinated, documented, and traceable, enhancing transparency and accountability.
Option B, service design, focuses on developing new services but does not manage the approval or controlled implementation of changes. Option C, release management, is concerned with building, testing, and deploying releases but relies on change enablement for authorization and risk assessment. Option D, service continuity management, ensures service availability during disruptions but does not govern routine changes.
Implementing change enablement improves organizational resilience, reduces incidents caused by poorly managed modifications, and supports continual improvement by capturing lessons learned from changes. It allows organizations to balance innovation with risk, ensuring that improvements in IT services deliver value without unintended consequences. By integrating risk assessment, rollback procedures, and stakeholder communication, change enablement fosters trust, reliability, and predictability, which are essential for modern digital services. Therefore, change enablement is the correct practice demonstrated in this scenario.
Question212
An IT team regularly reviews incident records to identify patterns, documents known errors, and implements solutions to prevent recurrence. Which ITIL 4 practice is being applied?
A) Problem management
B) Incident management
C) Knowledge management
D) Change enablement
Answer: A
Explanation:
The scenario illustrates the proactive identification and resolution of underlying issues that cause repeated incidents. ITIL 4 defines problem management as the practice responsible for identifying root causes of incidents and minimizing their impact on business operations. The goal of problem management is not just to fix immediate disruptions but to implement long-term solutions to prevent recurrence.
Reviewing incident records allows the team to detect recurring issues or trends that indicate systemic problems. Categorizing incidents and performing trend analysis helps prioritize which problems require immediate attention. Documenting known errors in a structured repository ensures that the organization captures solutions and workarounds, enabling staff to resolve incidents efficiently in the future and minimizing operational disruption.
Implementing solutions addresses the root causes, which can involve changes to configuration, process improvements, or technical fixes. This proactive approach reduces downtime, enhances service reliability, and promotes user satisfaction. Problem management integrates with incident management, knowledge management, and change enablement to ensure that identified problems are resolved in a controlled, effective manner.
Option B, incident management, restores services quickly but does not focus on eliminating root causes. Option C, knowledge management, supports access to information but does not implement solutions. Option D, change enablement, ensures controlled implementation but is not primarily responsible for identifying recurring issues.
Problem management aligns with ITIL 4 guiding principles such as focus on value, collaborate and promote visibility, and think and work holistically. By systematically addressing recurring incidents, problem management reduces operational costs, improves performance, and supports continual improvement. Integration with knowledge management ensures that solutions are documented and accessible, creating a feedback loop that strengthens operational efficiency. Therefore, problem management is the correct practice demonstrated in this scenario.
Question213
An organization develops a disaster recovery plan that prioritizes critical services, defines recovery procedures, tests scenarios, and communicates roles to all stakeholders. Which ITIL 4 practice is being applied?
A) Service continuity management
B) Risk management
C) Incident management
D) Change enablement
Answer: A
Explanation:
The scenario involves ensuring that critical services remain operational during disruptive events. ITIL 4 defines service continuity management as the practice responsible for preparing the organization to maintain minimum agreed service levels during disasters or major incidents. The practice focuses on identifying essential services, assessing risks, defining recovery strategies, and ensuring that procedures are tested and understood by all relevant staff.
Prioritizing critical services ensures that recovery efforts focus on the areas with the greatest impact on business operations and stakeholder expectations. Recovery procedures provide structured guidance for restoring services efficiently and effectively, reducing downtime and operational disruption. Testing these procedures validates their feasibility, identifies potential gaps, and reinforces staff readiness.
Communicating roles and responsibilities ensures accountability and coordination during disruptions. Clear assignment of tasks allows teams to respond efficiently, minimizing confusion and delays. Service continuity management integrates with risk management, incident management, and change enablement to create a holistic approach to service resilience.
Option B, risk management, identifies threats but does not focus specifically on ensuring continuity of critical services. Option C, incident management, restores services reactively but does not encompass planning and preparation for major disruptions. Option D, change enablement, manages controlled service modifications but is unrelated to disaster preparedness.
Service continuity management enhances organizational resilience, supports compliance, and maintains stakeholder trust. By planning, testing, and communicating continuity procedures, organizations ensure service reliability even under adverse conditions. Integration with other practices allows lessons learned from continuity exercises to inform continual improvement, enhancing efficiency and reducing future risks. Therefore, service continuity management is the correct practice demonstrated in this scenario.
Question214
An IT team monitors systems and services for anomalies. Automated alerts trigger predefined responses, and unusual events are logged for analysis and future planning. Which ITIL 4 practice is being applied?
A) Monitoring and event management
B) Incident management
C) Problem management
D) Change enablement
Answer: A
Explanation:
The scenario describes proactive observation and management of IT systems to detect and respond to deviations before they impact users. ITIL 4 defines monitoring and event management as the practice responsible for systematically observing services and components, detecting significant events, analyzing them, and triggering appropriate responses.
Monitoring involves collecting performance data, availability metrics, and system logs. Automated alerts allow IT teams to respond rapidly to anomalies, minimizing service impact. Logging unusual events provides historical data for trend analysis, supports continual improvement, and informs proactive problem management. Predefined responses ensure consistent, efficient, and reliable actions, reducing reliance on manual interventions.
Option B, incident management, focuses on restoring service after disruptions rather than proactive detection. Option C, problem management, addresses root causes of recurring issues but does not manage real-time monitoring. Option D, change enablement, ensures controlled modifications but is unrelated to monitoring and event detection.
Effective monitoring and event management enhances service reliability, operational efficiency, and risk mitigation. It integrates with incident management, problem management, and continual improvement, supporting ITIL 4 principles such as focus on value, optimize and automate, and progress iteratively with feedback. By enabling proactive detection and timely response, this practice reduces downtime, prevents service degradation, and ensures alignment with business objectives. Therefore, monitoring and event management is the correct practice demonstrated in this scenario.
Question215
An organization collects service performance metrics, identifies improvement opportunities, prioritizes initiatives, and implements incremental changes to enhance efficiency and customer satisfaction. Which ITIL 4 practice is being applied?
A) Continual improvement
B) Service level management
C) Problem management
D) Change enablement
Answer: A
Explanation:
The scenario describes a structured, ongoing effort to enhance services and processes. ITIL 4 defines continual improvement as the practice responsible for aligning services and practices with evolving business requirements through iterative enhancement. This practice uses data, metrics, feedback, and structured analysis to identify, prioritize, and implement changes that increase efficiency, effectiveness, and value delivery.
Collecting performance metrics provides objective insight into the current state of services and processes. These metrics are analyzed to detect inefficiencies, gaps, or areas for enhancement. Identifying improvement opportunities allows the organization to focus resources on high-value initiatives that support business objectives. Prioritization ensures that changes align with strategic goals, address critical issues, and provide measurable benefits.
Implementing incremental changes minimizes disruption, facilitates learning, and enables continuous refinement. Continual improvement integrates lessons learned from operations, monitoring, and user feedback, creating a feedback loop that strengthens organizational knowledge and capability.
Option B, service level management, ensures agreed targets are met but does not inherently drive systematic improvement. Option C, problem management, eliminates root causes of incidents but is narrower in scope. Option D, change enablement, ensures controlled implementation but does not itself identify or prioritize improvements.
Continual improvement embodies ITIL 4 guiding principles such as focus on value, progress iteratively with feedback, collaborate and promote visibility, and keep it simple and practical. It fosters a culture of learning, accountability, and data-driven decision-making. By integrating performance metrics, stakeholder input, and operational insights, continual improvement ensures that IT services evolve to meet changing business needs, enhance efficiency, and improve customer satisfaction. It also supports risk management, operational excellence, and strategic alignment, reinforcing organizational resilience and competitiveness. Therefore, continual improvement is the correct practice demonstrated in this scenario.
Question216
A company implements automated monitoring for key IT services, including dashboards, alerts, and event correlation tools. This enables early detection of deviations, prioritization of responses, and integration with incident management workflows. Which ITIL 4 practice is being applied?
A) Monitoring and event management
B) Incident management
C) Problem management
D) Change enablement
Answer: A
Explanation:
The scenario clearly reflects the implementation of a structured approach to proactively observing IT systems and services. ITIL 4 defines monitoring and event management as the practice responsible for detecting events, analyzing them, and determining the appropriate response. Events are any detectable occurrences that could affect the delivery of services, and their proper management ensures service stability, efficiency, and risk mitigation.
Automated monitoring ensures that data collection occurs continuously and consistently, reducing human error and increasing responsiveness. Dashboards provide real-time visibility into service performance, resource utilization, and key performance indicators. Alerts notify relevant staff when predefined thresholds are crossed, enabling rapid response to prevent service degradation. Event correlation tools analyze relationships between multiple events, identifying root causes and reducing false positives, which improves operational efficiency.
Prioritization of responses ensures that resources are allocated to the most critical issues, minimizing impact on business operations. Integration with incident management workflows allows seamless escalation when events indicate service disruption, ensuring rapid restoration while maintaining accurate records for analysis and continual improvement.
Option B, incident management, focuses on restoring services after disruptions rather than proactively monitoring and detecting anomalies. Option C, problem management, addresses underlying causes of recurring issues but does not encompass real-time detection and initial response. Option D, change enablement, ensures that modifications are controlled but is unrelated to event monitoring.
Effective monitoring and event management is fundamental to ITIL 4 principles, such as focus on value, optimize and automate, collaborate and promote visibility, and progress iteratively with feedback. It enables organizations to anticipate potential issues before they escalate, reduce downtime, and improve user experience. By providing early warning and actionable insights, it supports informed decision-making, aligns IT operations with business objectives, and fosters continual improvement. Integrating monitoring data with analytics, incident management, and problem management ensures that operational insights translate into actionable improvements, enhancing service quality and resilience. Therefore, monitoring and event management is the correct practice demonstrated in this scenario.
Question217
An IT team collects and analyzes performance data, user feedback, and incident reports to identify service improvement opportunities. Initiatives are prioritized, documented, and implemented incrementally to enhance service efficiency and value delivery. Which ITIL 4 practice is being applied?
A) Continual improvement
B) Service level management
C) Change enablement
D) Problem management
Answer: A
Explanation:
The scenario illustrates an organization’s structured approach to identifying, prioritizing, and implementing improvements to services and processes. ITIL 4 defines continual improvement as the practice responsible for aligning services, processes, and practices with changing business needs through ongoing enhancements. This practice systematically collects data, analyzes performance, and applies improvements iteratively to achieve measurable value.
Performance data provides quantitative metrics for evaluating the current effectiveness of services. User feedback offers qualitative insights into satisfaction, usability, and service quality. Incident reports highlight areas where failures or inefficiencies occur. Together, these inputs form the foundation for identifying improvement opportunities.
Prioritization ensures that initiatives are aligned with business objectives, resource availability, and potential impact. Incremental implementation reduces risk by allowing changes to be introduced in manageable steps, ensuring lessons are learned along the way and that services continue to operate smoothly. Documentation of improvement initiatives provides transparency, accountability, and a historical record that supports organizational learning and future planning.
Option B, service level management, focuses on defining, negotiating, and monitoring service performance against agreed targets but does not inherently drive systematic improvement. Option C, change enablement, ensures controlled implementation of changes but does not identify improvement opportunities proactively. Option D, problem management, addresses recurring issues’ root causes but has a narrower scope than continual improvement, which focuses on overall service enhancement and alignment with strategy.
Continual improvement aligns with ITIL 4 guiding principles such as focus on value, progress iteratively with feedback, collaborate and promote visibility, and keep it simple and practical. By using both quantitative and qualitative insights, organizations can prioritize initiatives that maximize benefit, reduce risk, and enhance customer satisfaction. Integration with other practices, including incident, problem, and change management, ensures that improvements are evidence-based, controlled, and effectively implemented. Over time, this practice fosters a culture of learning, accountability, innovation, and operational excellence, creating sustainable value for the business and stakeholders. Therefore, continual improvement is the correct practice demonstrated in this scenario.
Question218
An IT organization establishes documented procedures for service restoration after major disruptions, prioritizes critical business processes, and regularly tests recovery strategies with staff involvement. Which ITIL 4 practice is being applied?
A) Service continuity management
B) Risk management
C) Incident management
D) Problem management
Answer: A
Explanation:
The scenario clearly demonstrates the focus on maintaining service availability during disruptive events. ITIL 4 defines service continuity management as the practice responsible for ensuring that services can continue or be restored promptly after major incidents or disasters. This practice emphasizes preparedness, planning, testing, and communication to safeguard critical business operations.
Documented procedures guide staff during disruptions, ensuring that recovery activities are consistent, efficient, and effective. Prioritizing critical business processes allows the organization to focus resources on maintaining the services with the highest impact on stakeholders and business outcomes. Regular testing validates the procedures, identifies gaps, and reinforces staff readiness, ensuring that recovery measures are practical and executable under pressure.
Staff involvement in testing ensures awareness of responsibilities, coordination, and accountability. It also enables feedback loops that improve the quality of the continuity plan. Service continuity management integrates with risk management to identify potential threats, with incident management to respond to events, and with change enablement to ensure that planned modifications do not compromise continuity.
Option B, risk management, identifies and assesses threats but does not focus specifically on continuity planning or recovery procedures. Option C, incident management, restores services reactively but lacks the structured planning, testing, and prioritization inherent to service continuity management. Option D, problem management, addresses root causes of recurring incidents rather than preparing for large-scale disruptions.
Service continuity management embodies ITIL 4 principles such as focus on value, collaborate and promote visibility, and progress iteratively with feedback. It enhances organizational resilience, supports compliance, maintains stakeholder trust, and reduces financial and operational risk. By preparing for potential disruptions, organizations maintain critical operations, improve response capabilities, and provide confidence to users and customers. Lessons learned from testing and real events feed into continual improvement, refining recovery strategies and increasing effectiveness over time. Therefore, service continuity management is the correct practice demonstrated in this scenario.
Question219
A company tracks agreed-upon service targets, measures performance against these targets, and collaborates with stakeholders to ensure expectations are met and agreements are updated as needed. Which ITIL 4 practice is being applied?
A) Service level management
B) Continual improvement
C) Problem management
D) Monitoring and event management
Answer: A
Explanation:
This scenario describes an organization managing the performance and expectations of IT services in alignment with business objectives. ITIL 4 defines service level management as the practice responsible for negotiating, agreeing, monitoring, and reporting on service targets to ensure that service delivery meets stakeholder expectations. This practice fosters transparency, accountability, and a clear understanding of service performance.
Tracking agreed service targets allows organizations to assess whether commitments are being met. Metrics and key performance indicators provide quantitative evidence of service quality, availability, and responsiveness. Collaboration with stakeholders ensures that targets reflect business needs, that issues are addressed promptly, and that service improvements are guided by both operational and strategic considerations.
Updating agreements as circumstances change ensures relevance and alignment with evolving business priorities. Service level management establishes a formal structure for defining expectations, measuring outcomes, and driving continuous improvement through feedback loops and reviews.
Option B, continual improvement, focuses on iterative enhancements but does not govern target agreements directly. Option C, problem management, addresses underlying causes of incidents and recurring issues. Option D, monitoring and event management, observes operational performance but does not manage formal service agreements.
Service level management aligns with ITIL 4 guiding principles such as focus on value, collaborate and promote visibility, and think and work holistically. By providing clarity on expected service levels, establishing measurement frameworks, and facilitating stakeholder collaboration, this practice ensures that services meet business needs, supports accountability, and identifies areas for improvement. Regular reporting and review processes strengthen relationships with customers and internal stakeholders, enhance trust, and provide actionable insights that feed into continual improvement initiatives. Therefore, service level management is the correct practice demonstrated in this scenario.
Question220
An IT team investigates recurring incidents, identifies root causes, implements workarounds, and records solutions in a known error database to prevent recurrence. Which ITIL 4 practice is being applied?
A) Problem management
B) Incident management
C) Change enablement
D) Monitoring and event management
Answer: A
Explanation:
The scenario depicts the proactive management of underlying causes of recurring incidents to prevent service disruption. ITIL 4 defines problem management as the practice responsible for identifying, analyzing, and resolving problems that result in recurring incidents. The objective is to reduce the impact and likelihood of incidents, ensuring stability and reliability of IT services.
Investigating recurring incidents allows organizations to identify patterns and determine systemic causes. Root cause analysis provides insight into technical, process, or organizational deficiencies contributing to repeated service disruptions. Implementing workarounds ensures that temporary solutions are available to restore services quickly while permanent resolutions are developed.
Recording solutions in a known error database ensures knowledge is captured, enabling faster resolution of future incidents and supporting staff awareness. This practice integrates with incident management to ensure seamless escalation and resolution, with change enablement to implement permanent fixes safely, and with continual improvement to enhance service quality and reliability.
Option B, incident management, restores service but does not focus on eliminating root causes. Option C, change enablement, ensures controlled modifications but is not responsible for identifying recurring issues. Option D, monitoring and event management, detects deviations but does not address root causes proactively.
Problem management embodies ITIL 4 guiding principles such as focus on value, progress iteratively with feedback, collaborate and promote visibility, and think and work holistically. By addressing root causes, organizations reduce downtime, improve service reliability, optimize resource utilization, and enhance customer satisfaction. Integration with knowledge management, incident management, and change management ensures solutions are documented, implemented safely, and leveraged to prevent recurrence. Over time, effective problem management strengthens organizational knowledge, reduces operational costs, and enables a proactive approach to service management. Therefore, problem management is the correct practice demonstrated in this scenario.
Question221
An organization introduces a new service feature and establishes a process to test it in a controlled environment, ensuring minimal disruption. After validation, the feature is deployed, and stakeholders are informed of its availability. Which ITIL 4 practice is being applied?
A) Release management
B) Change enablement
C) Service level management
D) Monitoring and event management
Answer: A
Explanation:
The scenario describes the structured deployment of a new service feature, emphasizing controlled testing, validation, and stakeholder communication. ITIL 4 defines release management as the practice responsible for planning, scheduling, testing, and deploying releases into the live environment while minimizing service disruption. The goal is to ensure that new or changed services are introduced in a manner that maintains stability, reliability, and performance.
Testing in a controlled environment allows the team to identify potential defects or risks before exposure to production systems. This approach reduces the likelihood of unplanned incidents, ensures operational continuity, and maintains service quality. Validation ensures that the new feature meets predefined requirements, aligns with business objectives, and delivers value.
Deploying the feature in a structured manner ensures consistency, reduces downtime, and enables efficient communication with stakeholders. Informing stakeholders of availability improves transparency, sets expectations, and promotes adoption. Release management integrates with change enablement to authorize releases, problem management to address potential issues, and monitoring to track post-deployment performance.
Option B, change enablement, authorizes changes but does not manage the deployment lifecycle or testing of new features. Option C, service level management, monitors performance against agreed targets but does not implement releases. Option D, monitoring and event management, observes operations but is not responsible for deploying new features.
Release management aligns with ITIL 4 principles such as focus on value, progress iteratively with feedback, optimize and automate, and collaborate and promote visibility. By ensuring structured deployment, release management reduces risk, supports stakeholder satisfaction, and facilitates continual improvement. Post-deployment monitoring and feedback allow for timely corrective actions and lessons learned, reinforcing operational excellence. Integration with other practices ensures that releases are authorized, documented, and aligned with strategic objectives. Therefore, release management is the correct practice demonstrated in this scenario.
Question222
A service provider tracks service requests, prioritizes them based on business impact, and resolves them within agreed timescales while maintaining records for analysis. Which ITIL 4 practice is being applied?
A) Service request management
B) Incident management
C) Problem management
D) Change enablement
Answer: A
Explanation:
The scenario illustrates the structured handling of routine service requests from users. ITIL 4 defines service request management as the practice responsible for handling user-initiated requests for information, advice, standard changes, or access to services. The objective is to provide a consistent, efficient, and user-focused approach for fulfilling requests in a timely manner.
Tracking service requests allows the organization to monitor progress, ensure compliance with agreed timescales, and maintain accountability. Prioritization based on business impact ensures that resources are allocated efficiently, critical requests are addressed promptly, and service quality is optimized. Resolution of requests within agreed targets contributes to user satisfaction, operational efficiency, and trust in the service provider.
Maintaining records supports reporting, trend analysis, and continual improvement. Historical data provides insight into request patterns, recurring issues, and opportunities to streamline processes or automate responses. This aligns with ITIL 4 principles such as focus on value, optimize and automate, and progress iteratively with feedback.
Option B, incident management, restores service after disruption rather than fulfilling routine requests. Option C, problem management, focuses on eliminating root causes of recurring issues. Option D, change enablement, governs modifications to services but does not address routine user requests.
Effective service request management ensures consistent user experience, timely delivery of services, and alignment with business priorities. By capturing data, standardizing procedures, and integrating with other practices such as knowledge management and change enablement, organizations enhance efficiency, reduce operational risk, and enable continual improvement. The practice supports transparency, accountability, and proactive service delivery, reinforcing stakeholder confidence and enabling better resource planning. Therefore, service request management is the correct practice demonstrated in this scenario.
Question223
A company establishes a centralized knowledge repository, ensuring staff can access up-to-date procedures, troubleshooting guides, and service documentation. This repository supports efficient resolution and decision-making across teams. Which ITIL 4 practice is being applied?
A) Knowledge management
B) Service request management
C) Problem management
D) Monitoring and event management
Answer: A
Explanation:
The scenario demonstrates the structured collection, organization, and distribution of information to support decision-making and operational efficiency. ITIL 4 defines knowledge management as the practice responsible for ensuring that relevant, reliable, and timely information is available to enable informed decision-making and effective service delivery.
A centralized knowledge repository serves as a single source of truth, reducing duplication, minimizing errors, and ensuring that staff can access authoritative guidance. By providing up-to-date procedures, troubleshooting guides, and documentation, knowledge management facilitates faster resolution of incidents, more effective problem-solving, and smoother onboarding of new staff.
Knowledge management integrates with incident, problem, service request, and change management to ensure that information captured from operations, known errors, and improvement initiatives is leveraged effectively. Maintaining data accuracy and relevance supports continual improvement by allowing insights to inform process refinement, training, and service optimization.
Option B, service request management, fulfills routine user requests but does not organize or disseminate knowledge. Option C, problem management, addresses root causes but does not systematically make knowledge accessible. Option D, monitoring and event management, observes operations but does not manage informational resources.
Knowledge management aligns with ITIL 4 principles such as focus on value, collaborate and promote visibility, and progress iteratively with feedback. By improving access to information, reducing duplication of effort, and enabling evidence-based decision-making, it enhances efficiency, service quality, and staff competence. Integration with other practices ensures that knowledge captured during incident resolution, problem analysis, or change implementation becomes reusable, improving operational reliability and stakeholder satisfaction. Therefore, knowledge management is the correct practice demonstrated in this scenario.
Question224
A team evaluates proposed system changes, assesses risk and impact, obtains necessary approvals, and ensures changes are implemented in a controlled manner to minimize disruption. Which ITIL 4 practice is being applied?
A) Change enablement
B) Release management
C) Problem management
D) Service continuity management
Answer: A
Explanation:
The scenario describes the controlled management of modifications to IT services, emphasizing risk assessment, approvals, and minimal disruption. ITIL 4 defines change enablement as the practice responsible for ensuring that all changes are assessed, authorized, prioritized, and implemented in a structured manner. The objective is to maximize benefits while minimizing negative impacts on the organization.
Evaluating proposed changes involves assessing the potential impact on services, systems, processes, and stakeholders. Risk assessment identifies possible adverse outcomes, allowing the organization to implement mitigation strategies. Obtaining necessary approvals ensures that all changes are authorized, accountable, and aligned with organizational policies and objectives.
Implementing changes in a controlled manner reduces unplanned disruptions, preserves service stability, and ensures that resources are used effectively. Change enablement integrates with release management to coordinate deployments, problem management to address known issues, and service continuity management to maintain critical operations.
Option B, release management, focuses on deployment of new or updated services but relies on change enablement for authorization and risk assessment. Option C, problem management, addresses recurring issues but does not govern implementation of modifications. Option D, service continuity management, ensures availability during disruptions but does not manage routine changes.
Change enablement aligns with ITIL 4 principles such as focus on value, collaborate and promote visibility, optimize and automate, and think and work holistically. By ensuring that modifications are carefully evaluated, authorized, and implemented, the practice reduces operational risk, improves service reliability, and supports continual improvement. It fosters accountability, transparency, and trust within the organization, enabling innovation while maintaining service quality. Therefore, change enablement is the correct practice demonstrated in this scenario.
Question225
An IT team reviews operational metrics, identifies recurring incidents, establishes workarounds, and implements permanent solutions to prevent service disruption. Knowledge is documented for future reference. Which ITIL 4 practice is being applied?
A) Problem management
B) Incident management
C) Knowledge management
D) Change enablement
Answer: A
Explanation:
The scenario highlights the structured resolution of underlying causes of recurring incidents, with an emphasis on preventing future disruptions. ITIL 4 defines problem management as the practice responsible for identifying root causes of incidents, developing workarounds, and implementing permanent solutions to improve service stability.
Reviewing operational metrics and incident records enables the team to detect patterns and recurring issues. Establishing temporary workarounds restores service quickly while permanent solutions are developed, reducing business impact. Implementing permanent solutions eliminates root causes, preventing recurrence, improving reliability, and enhancing user satisfaction.
Documenting knowledge ensures that lessons learned, solutions, and workarounds are accessible to all staff, facilitating efficient incident resolution in the future. Problem management integrates with incident management to coordinate responses, change enablement to implement fixes safely, and continual improvement to enhance processes based on lessons learned.
Option B, incident management, restores service but does not focus on root cause elimination. Option C, knowledge management, provides information access but does not manage problem resolution itself. Option D, change enablement, ensures controlled implementation but is not responsible for identifying recurring issues.
Problem management aligns with ITIL 4 principles such as focus on value, collaborate and promote visibility, progress iteratively with feedback, and think and work holistically. By addressing root causes, organizations reduce service disruptions, optimize operational efficiency, and enhance customer trust. The practice also supports continual improvement by feeding insights from incidents and problems into process enhancements, knowledge updates, and proactive risk mitigation strategies. Integration with knowledge management ensures solutions are documented and leveraged, strengthening organizational capability and service resilience. Therefore, problem management is the correct practice demonstrated in this scenario.
Problem management is one of the key ITIL 4 practices that focuses on understanding and addressing the root causes of incidents to prevent their recurrence, thereby improving service stability and reliability. Unlike incident management, which prioritizes restoring normal service operations as quickly as possible, problem management takes a more analytical and preventive approach. It ensures that underlying issues are systematically identified, analyzed, and resolved. In the scenario described, the organization is not only reacting to incidents but also actively identifying patterns and systemic issues that lead to recurring disruptions. This aligns directly with the core objectives of problem management.
The process begins with the identification and logging of problems, often triggered by trends observed in incident reports or operational metrics. By analyzing incident records, teams can detect recurring issues, understand their impact on the business, and prioritize them based on severity, frequency, and potential risk. This proactive approach allows the organization to target problems that have the greatest influence on service quality and customer satisfaction. Temporary workarounds are used to minimize business disruption while permanent solutions are developed, ensuring that critical services continue operating without significant impact. Workarounds, although not permanent, are an integral part of problem management because they provide immediate relief and maintain service continuity, which is essential in a live operational environment.
Problem management has two major aspects: reactive and proactive. Reactive problem management focuses on identifying the root cause of incidents that have already occurred, whereas proactive problem management anticipates potential issues by analyzing data, monitoring trends, and reviewing historical incident patterns. The scenario reflects both elements because the team addresses current recurring incidents while also preventing future disruptions by implementing permanent fixes. This dual approach ensures operational stability and aligns with the ITIL principle of focusing on value. By reducing service interruptions, the organization protects business operations, maintains productivity, and enhances customer trust.
A significant component of problem management is the integration with other ITIL 4 practices. Incident management, for example, and problem management work closely together. Incidents provide the data and context that problem management needs to analyze underlying causes. While incident management ensures service continuity, problem management ensures service improvement. Knowledge management also plays a crucial supporting role. Documenting the causes, workarounds, and permanent solutions allows teams to share insights across the organization. By making this information accessible, staff can respond more efficiently to similar incidents in the future, reducing downtime and improving first-time resolution rates. Change enablement is another linked practice, particularly when implementing permanent solutions. Once the root cause is identified, changes may need to be designed, approved, and executed in a controlled manner. Problem management ensures that these changes are justified, properly documented, and safely implemented, minimizing the risk of introducing new incidents.
The scenario also demonstrates adherence to several ITIL 4 guiding principles. First, focusing on value is evident, as problem management ensures that efforts are directed toward preventing disruptions that directly affect business operations and user experience. Collaboration and promoting visibility is another principle illustrated by the sharing of information and knowledge across teams to resolve problems effectively. Progressing iteratively with feedback is reflected in the process of reviewing incident patterns, developing temporary workarounds, and gradually implementing permanent solutions. Thinking and working holistically is achieved by integrating problem management with incident management, change enablement, knowledge management, and continual improvement to ensure a comprehensive approach to service management.
In practical terms, problem management enhances service resilience and operational efficiency. By eliminating recurring issues, organizations reduce the number of incidents requiring immediate attention, allowing operational teams to focus on strategic improvements rather than constant firefighting. This has a positive impact on resource allocation, cost management, and employee productivity. Moreover, users benefit from more reliable services, experiencing fewer interruptions and enjoying a higher level of trust in IT services.
Another critical aspect of problem management is risk reduction. By understanding the root causes and implementing permanent solutions, organizations mitigate risks associated with system failures, service outages, and data loss. Proactively identifying problems before they result in major incidents allows businesses to maintain compliance with regulatory requirements and contractual service-level agreements (SLAs). This proactive stance also aligns with continual improvement, one of the central tenets of ITIL 4. Insights gained from problem analysis feed into process enhancements, improved operational procedures, and the refinement of monitoring and alerting systems. Over time, this reduces the likelihood of similar incidents, creating a cycle of ongoing improvement.
Problem management also supports organizational learning. By capturing lessons learned and documenting both successful and unsuccessful remediation strategies, teams create a repository of knowledge that can be leveraged across departments. This knowledge becomes a valuable asset for training new staff, informing service design decisions, and guiding change implementation. It strengthens the organization’s capability to manage future issues efficiently and reduces reliance on individual expertise, promoting a culture of shared responsibility and resilience.
From an operational perspective, effective problem management requires structured workflows and clear roles. Problem managers or dedicated teams typically oversee the identification, analysis, prioritization, and resolution of problems. They liaise with incident management teams to ensure that workarounds are promptly communicated and used where necessary. They coordinate with change management teams to ensure that permanent solutions are implemented safely, and they collaborate with knowledge managers to ensure accurate documentation. By defining clear responsibilities, the organization minimizes ambiguity, reduces duplication of effort, and ensures timely resolution.
The strategic value of problem management cannot be understated. By systematically addressing recurring incidents and minimizing service disruptions, organizations improve customer satisfaction and confidence. Business stakeholders see tangible benefits in the form of reduced downtime, smoother operations, and more predictable service delivery. This reliability supports business objectives, enhances operational performance, and strengthens the IT department’s credibility as a partner in achieving organizational goals.
Finally, problem management promotes a culture of accountability and continuous improvement. By emphasizing root cause analysis and long-term solutions, it encourages teams to look beyond immediate firefighting and consider the broader implications of recurring issues. Employees are motivated to identify systemic weaknesses, contribute to solutions, and share knowledge, fostering an environment where proactive problem-solving is recognized and rewarded. This cultural shift supports ITIL 4 principles, drives innovation, and helps the organization remain agile and responsive in a dynamic business environment.