CGEIT Certified in the Governance of Enterprise IT Exam Questions and Answers

 Performance indicators are quantitative measures that can be used to evaluate the availability of a system or service. They can include metrics such as uptime, downtime, response time, availability percentage, etc. Balanced scorecard, capability maturity levels, and critical success factors are not directly related to availability objectives, but rather to strategic alignment, process improvement, and goal achievement respectively. References := CGEIT Exam Content Outline, Domain 1: Governance of Enterprise IT, Subdomain A: Governance Framework, Task 5: Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) and key goal indicators (KGIs) that are aligned with strategic objectives.

According to the CGEIT certification guide, the best method for determining an enterprise’s current appetite for risk is interviewing senior management. This is because senior management is responsible for setting the risk appetite and tolerance of the enterprise, and for balancing the security and business needs. The risk appetite reflects the amount and type of risk that an organization is willing to take in order to meet their strategic objectives. Interviewing senior management can help to understand their perspectives, expectations, and preferences regarding risk taking1. The other options are less effective than option A, as they do not directly capture the senior management’s input or risk-based decision making. References := CGEIT certification guide, domain 3: Risk Optimization, section 3.1: Risk Governance, page 87.

 The owner of data stored in an external cloud is the business leader who is most impacted by the loss of data. This is because the data owner is the person who has the accountability and authority over a specific dataset, and who is responsible for its security, quality, classification, and access control12. The data owner is usually a senior-level employee or a subject-matter expert who has the knowledge and motivation to ensure that the data is handled correctly and in compliance with policies and regulations2. The data owner is not the same as the data custodian, who is the person who implements the technical and operational measures to protect and manage the data according to the data owner’s directives2. Therefore, the risk manager, the contract manager, and the vendor are not the data owners, as they do not have the final say or accountability over the data stored in the external cloud. References: What Is a Data Owner? - Firewall Times1, Data Owners vs. Data Stewards vs. Data Custodians - CPO Magazine2

Establishing a steering committee with business representation is the most important factor when an IT-enabled business initiative involves multiple business functions, because it ensures that the initiative is aligned with the strategic goals and needs of the organization, and that the different business functions have a voice and a stake in the decision-making process. A steering committee can also provide guidance, support, and oversight to the IT team and help resolve any conflicts or issues that may arise among the business functions. A steering committee can also monitor the progress and performance of the initiative and ensure that it delivers the expected benefits and value to the organization. References := What is an IT Steering Committee? – BMC Software | Blogs, Steering Committee: Definition, Roles & Meeting Tips - ProjectManager, How To Create an IT Steering Committee in 6 Steps - Indeed

 Appointing an IT representative to the business risk committee is the best way to address senior management’s concern about IT investment risks, as it would ensure that IT risks are properly identified, assessed, and communicated to the business stakeholders. The IT representative would also be able to align IT risk management with the enterprise’s risk appetite and strategy, and provide input and feedback on the IT investment decisions. The other options are not as effective, as they do not involve direct collaboration and communication between IT and business on risk matters. References: : CGEIT Review Manual (Digital Version), Chapter 4: Risk Optimization, Section 4.3: IT Risk Management, Subsection 4.3.1: IT Risk Management Overview, Page 153 : CGEIT Review Manual (Digital Version), Chapter 4: Risk Optimization, Section 4.3: IT Risk Management, Subsection 4.3.2: IT Risk Management Process, Page 156 :CGEIT Review Manual (Digital Version), Chapter 4: Risk Optimization, Section 4.3: IT Risk Management, Subsection 4.3.5: Roles and Responsibilities for IT Risk Management, Page 161

The best way for the IT director to address the concern of other departments about the outsourced services is to develop a comprehensive vendor management plan. A vendor management plan is a document that details how the IT director and the vendor will work together to achieve the objectives and expectations of the contract. A vendor management plan can include the following elements1:

Scope of work: This defines the services, deliverables, and outcomes that the vendor will provide, as well as the roles and responsibilities of both parties.

Service level agreements (SLAs): These specify the performance standards, metrics, and targets that the vendor will adhere to, as well as the penalties or rewards for meeting or exceeding them.

Operational level agreements (OLAs): These describe the internal processes and procedures that the IT director and the vendor will follow to support the SLAs, such as communication, escalation, reporting, and issue resolution.

Risk management: This identifies and assesses the potential risks that may affect the delivery of the outsourced services, such as security, compliance, quality, or continuity, and defines the mitigation strategies and contingency plans to address them.

Governance: This establishes the governance structure and mechanisms that will oversee and monitor the vendor relationship, such as steering committees, audits, reviews, and feedback.

A comprehensive vendor management plan can help to ensure that the outsourced services are delivered successfully by providing clarity, transparency, accountability, and alignment between the IT director and the vendor. It can also help to address the concerns of other departments by demonstrating that the IT director has taken adequate measures to manage and control the vendor performance and risk. Additionally, a vendor management plan can help to foster a collaborative and trusting relationship between the IT director and the vendor, which can lead to improved service quality, efficiency, and innovation.

1: 3 Steps to Improve Strategic Vendor Management

Standards-based reference architecture and design specifications. A reference architecture is a set of principles, patterns, standards, and best practices that guide the design and implementation of IT solutions. A design specification is a detailed document that describes the technical requirements, features, and functionalities of an IT solution. By using standards-based reference architecture and design specifications, an enterprise can ensure that its IT infrastructure is aligned with its business needs and goals, and that it can support the integration, compatibility, and scalability of its IT systems and services. Some examples of standards-based reference architectures are: The Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF) 1, The Federal Enterprise Architecture Framework (FEAF) 2, and The Cloud Computing Reference Architecture (CCRA) 3.

 Defining a strategy for IT measurement is the best way to determine whether the KPIs adequately support organizational objectives, as it would help to establish a clear vision, scope, purpose, and alignment of the IT measurement activities. A strategy for IT measurement would also help to identify the relevant stakeholders, roles, responsibilities, and expectations for the IT measurement process, and to define the criteria, methods, and tools for selecting, collecting, analyzing, and reporting the KPIs. The other options are not as effective, as they do not address the root cause of the board’s question, which is the lack of a coherent and consistent approach to IT measurement. References: : CGEIT Review Manual (Digital Version), Chapter 3: Benefits Realization, Section 3.3: Performance Measurement and Reporting, Subsection 3.3.1: Performance Measurement and Reporting Overview, Page 112 : CGEIT Review Manual (Digital Version), Chapter 3: Benefits Realization, Section 3.3: Performance Measurement and Reporting, Subsection 3.3.2: Performance Measurement and Reporting Process, Page 113 : The Value of IT Governance

A business case is a document that outlines the rationale, objectives, benefits, costs, risks and alternatives of a proposed IT project. A business case should be reviewed periodically throughout the project life cycle to ensure that the project is still aligned with the enterprise’s strategy and goals, and that the expected benefits are still achievable and realistic. A periodic review of the business case can also help to identify any changes or issues that may affect the project’s scope, schedule, budget or quality, and to take corrective actions accordingly. References: ISACA, CGEIT Review Manual, 7th Edition, 2019, page 77. A guide to measuring benefits effectively. Cost-Benefit Analysis: A Quick Guide with Examples and Templates.

 An information steward is a person who is responsible for ensuring the quality, accuracy, consistency, and usability of the data in an organization. An information steward works with the business users and stakeholders to understand their data needs, requirements, and expectations, and to define and implement the data policies, standards, and rules that govern the data lifecycle. An information steward also monitors and reports on the data quality issues and trends, and initiates and coordinates the data improvement actions and projects12.

The most important attribute of an information steward is to be closely aligned with the business function, because this can help to ensure that the data supports the business goals and objectives, that the data meets the business expectations and requirements, that the data is relevant and useful for the business decisions and actions, and that the data is aligned with the business processes and workflows12.

The information steward does not necessarily manage the systems that process the relevant data, as this may be done by other IT roles, such as data engineers, data analysts, or data administrators. The information steward does not need to have expertise in managing data quality systems, as this may be a technical skill that can be acquired or supported by other IT roles or tools. The information steward does not need to be part of the information architecture group, as this may be a separate function that focuses on designing and maintaining the data structures, models, and standards12. References: Information Steward settings option descriptions - SAP Online Help. What is an Information Steward, and Why You Should Care?. 6 Key Responsibilities of the Invaluable Data Steward - Dun & Bradstreet.

The best course of action for the CIO is to develop and communicate an accountability matrix. An accountability matrix, also known as a responsibility assignment matrix, is a project management tool that defines the roles and responsibilities of different stakeholders in a project or process1 An accountability matrix can help to clarify who is responsible, accountable, consulted, and informed (RACI) for each task or deliverable, and avoid confusion and ambiguity in the decision-making process2 By developing and communicating an accountability matrix, the CIO can ensure that the IT portfolio management policies and processes are understood and followed by all the relevant parties, and that the IT projects are aligned with the enterprise goals. References: RACI Matrix: Responsibility Assignment Matrix Guide 20233, Responsibility assignment matrix - Wikipedia2, Accountability Matrix - Explained - The Business Professor, LLC1

 Loss of data confidentiality represents the greatest risk for a large financial institution that is considering outsourcing customer call center operations, as it would expose sensitive customer and business information to unauthorized access, disclosure, or misuse by the chosen vendor or other third parties. Data confidentiality is especially important for financial institutions, as they deal with personal, financial, and transactional data that are subject to strict regulatory and legal requirements, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). A breach of data confidentiality could result in reputational damage, customer dissatisfaction, legal liability, and financial loss for the financial institution. The other options are not as great, as they are more related to the operational or performance aspects of outsourcing, rather than the security or compliance aspects of it. References: : CGEIT Review Manual (Digital Version), Chapter 4: Risk Optimization, Section 4.3: IT Risk Management, Subsection 4.3.1: IT Risk Management Overview, Page 153 : CGEIT Review Manual (Digital Version), Chapter 5: Resource Optimization, Section 5.3: Security Resource Management, Subsection 5.3.1: Security Resource Management Overview, Page 192 : Offshore bank call centers face risks around privacy, resilience amid COVID-191 : Call Center Outsourcing Risks and How to Mitigate Them

An exception management process is a method for documenting and approving an exception to compliance with established IT governance policies, standards, and practices. An exception management process can accommodate the need for autonomy over technology choices by allowing a functional group to request and justify a deviation from the IT governance requirements, based on the business needs, risks, costs, and benefits. An exception management process can also help to ensure that the exceptions are reviewed and approved by the appropriate authorities, that the exceptions are monitored and reported, and that the exceptions are aligned with the IT strategy and objectives123. References: Exception Management Process Flow. IT/Information Security Exception Request Process. Strategies, Governance, Policies, Standards and Resources.

 This is because an organizational change management program is a systematic approach to managing the human side of change and ensuring that the people affected by the change are ready, willing, and able to adopt it1. An organizational change management program can help to address the fatigue and frustration of the employees by providing them with clear communication, stakeholder engagement, training and coaching, leadership support, and feedback mechanisms2. An organizational change management program can also help to increase the success rate and benefits realization of the IT projects by reducing resistance, enhancing collaboration, and improving performance3.

The other options are less effective than option A, as they do not address the root cause of the problem or provide a comprehensive solution. Establishing “Reward and Recognition” efforts to boost employee morale may be helpful, but not sufficient, to overcome the fatigue and frustration of the employees. Rewards and recognition can motivate and appreciate the employees for their efforts and achievements, but they do not necessarily help them to cope with the changes or learn the new capabilities4. Improving the system development life cycle (SDLC) process may be useful, but not relevant, to address the fatigue and frustration of the employees. The SDLC process is a framework that defines the tasks and activities involved in developing, testing, deploying, and maintaining IT systems. While improving the SDLC process can enhance the quality and efficiency of IT systems, it does not directly affect the employees’ readiness or willingness to adopt them. Assessing current business and IT competencies may be important, but not enough, to address the fatigue and frustration of the employees. Assessing competencies can help to identify the gaps and needs of the employees in terms of knowledge, skills, and abilities required for their roles. However, assessing competencies alone does not provide any solutions or support for closing those gaps or meeting those needs.

Requesting an IT security assessment to identify the main security gaps is the IT governance board’s first course of action, as it helps to understand the root causes and the extent of the information security incidents that have affected the enterprise’s business reputation. An IT security assessment can also provide recommendations and best practices for improving thesecurity posture and reducing the risks of future incidents12. References := CGEIT Exam Content Outline, Domain 4, Subtopic B: IT Risk Management, Task 1: Ensure that an IT risk management framework exists to identify, analyze, mitigate, manage, monitor, and communicate IT-related business risk, and that the framework for IT risk management is in alignment with the enterprise risk management (ERM) framework.

Business management involvement as IT strategies are developed is the best indication of effective IT-business strategic alignment, because it ensures that the IT strategies are aligned with the business goals, needs, and expectations, and that the business stakeholders have a clear understanding and ownership of the IT initiatives. Business management involvement can also facilitate the communication, collaboration, and coordination between the IT and business functions, and help resolve any conflicts or issues that may arise during the IT strategy development process. Business management involvement can also foster a culture of trust, mutual respect, and shared vision between the IT and business functions, and enhance the value proposition and performance of the IT strategies. References := IT Strategic Planning and Alignment: Best Practices, What Is “IT-Business Alignment”?, Aligning IT and Business Strategy for Project Success

Data storage and transmission policies are documents that define the rules and guidelines for how data is stored, accessed, shared, and transmitted within and outside an organization. Data storage and transmission policies can help to ensure the security, privacy, compliance, and quality of the data, as well as to prevent data loss, leakage, or breach12.

If an enterprise has decided to utilize a cloud vendor for the first time to provide email as a service, eliminating in-house email capabilities, one of the IT strategic actions that should be triggered by this decision is to update and communicate data storage and transmission policies. This is because using a cloud vendor for email as a service may introduce new risks and challenges for data storage and transmission, such as data sovereignty, data ownership, data encryption, data backup, data retention, data deletion, data access control, data audit, data breach notification, etc34. Therefore, it is important to update the data storage and transmission policies to reflect the changes in the email environment and the cloud vendor’s responsibilities and obligations. It is also important to communicate the updated policies to all relevant stakeholders, such as employees, customers, partners, regulators, etc., to ensure their awareness and compliance12. References: Data Storage Policy: Definition & Best Practices. Data Transmission Policy: Definition & Best Practices. Cloud Email Security: Definition & Best Practices. Cloud Data Protection: Definition & Best Practices.

 The business strategy requiring significant IT resource scalability over the next five years is the best justification for the decision to outsource portions of IT operations, as it implies that the manufacturing company needs to adapt to changing market demands, customer expectations, and business opportunities. Outsourcing IT operations can provide the company with access to external IT resources, such as infrastructure, software, and services, that can be scaled up or down according to the business needs and goals12. Outsourcing IT operations can also help the company to reduce costs, improve efficiency, and focus on its core competencies

 A RACI chart is a tool that defines the roles and responsibilities of different stakeholders in a project or a process. RACI stands for Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed. A RACI chart can help to clarify who is responsible for performing the tasks, who is accountable for the outcomes, who is consulted for input or feedback, and who is informed of the progress or results. A RACI chart can help to improve communication, collaboration, and coordination among the stakeholders, as well as to avoid confusion, duplication, or conflict of work12.

If an enterprise has established a new department to oversee the life cycle of activities that support data management objectives, the next step should be to establish a RACI chart for the data management process. This can help to define the roles and responsibilities of the new department and other existing departments or units that are involved in the data management process, such as IT, business, security, compliance, etc. A RACI chart can also help to align the data management process with the enterprise’s strategy and goals, and to ensure that the data management objectives are met effectively and efficiently34. References: What is a RACI Chart? Definition & Example. How to Use a RACI Matrix: Everything You Need to Know. Data Management Process: Definition & Best Practices. Data Lifecycle Management: A 2023 Guide for Your Business.

 A business case is a document that justifies the initiation and continuation of a project based on its expected benefits, costs, risks, and alignment with the strategic objectives of the organization. If a project is experiencing a cost overrun, meaning that it has exceeded its initial budget, it is important to re-evaluate the business case to determine whether the project is still viable and worth pursuing. Re-evaluating the business case can help to identify the root causes of the cost overrun, assess the impact of the overrun on the project’s value proposition, and decide whether to continue, modify, or terminate the project. Reviewing the IT investments, reorganizing the IT projects portfolio, and reviewing the IT governance structure are not the most important tasks to perform in this situation. They are more likely to be part of the portfolio management or governance processes that should be done regularly or periodically, not in response to a specific project issue. Moreover, they do not directly address the problem of the cost overrun or its implications for the project’s feasibility and desirability. References := What is a Business Case?, How to Write a Business Case, Project Cost Overruns – Reasons, How to Prevent and Manage

According to the web search results, a data management policy for cloud-based file storage should include a requirement to scan approved cloud-based apps for inappropriate content. This can help to prevent data leakage, compliance violations, and reputational damage. For example, one of the results1 describes how to use Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps to create file policies that can monitor and control the data and files in your organization’s cloud app use, and apply automated actions for governance and remediation. Another result2 explains how to use Google Cloud Storage’s Bucket Lock feature to set a data retention policy for a bucket that governs how long objects in the bucket must be retained, and how to lock the policy to prevent itfrom being reduced or removed. A third result3 outlines the best practices and approval processes for using cloud computing services at Tufts University, and states that "the university reserves the right to scan any cloud computing service used by Tufts faculty, staff, or students for inappropriate content". References :=

File policies - Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps

Retention policies and retention policy locks | Cloud Storage | Google Cloud

Cloud Computing Services Policy | Technology Services - Tufts University

The first governance action for implementing a BYOD program should be to assess the BYOD risk. This is because BYOD introduces various security, legal, and operational risks to the enterprise, such as data loss or leakage, unauthorized access, malware infection, compliance violation, device management, and user privacy. Assessing the BYOD risk can help to identify and evaluate the potential threats, vulnerabilities, and impacts of allowing employees to use personal devices for email. Assessing the BYOD risk can also help to determine the appropriate controls and mitigation strategies to reduce the risk to an acceptable level.

Assessing the enterprise architecture (EA) is not the first governance action, as it is a subsequent step after assessing the BYOD risk. EA is a framework that defines the structure, components, relationships, and principles of the enterprise’s IT environment. Assessing the EA can help to ensure that the BYOD program aligns with the enterprise’s vision, strategy, goals, and standards. However, assessing the EA does not address the specific risks associated with BYOD.

Updating the network infrastructure is not the first governance action, as it is an implementation step after assessing the BYOD risk and EA. Updating the network infrastructure can help to enhance the performance, reliability, scalability, and security of the network that supports the BYOD program. However, updating the network infrastructure does not provide a comprehensive risk assessment or governance framework for BYOD.

Updating the BYOD policy is not the first governance action, as it is a result of assessing the BYOD risk and EA. A BYOD policy is a document that defines the rules, guidelines, and responsibilities for employees who use personal devices for email. Updating the BYOD policy can help to communicate the expectations and requirements for BYOD users and enforce compliance and accountability. However, updating the BYOD policy does not provide a thorough risk analysis or architectural alignment for BYOD.

References := BYOD Best Practices - JumpCloud, Assessing your needs section. End user device security for Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) deployment models - ITSM.70.003 - Canadian Centre for Cyber Security, 1 Introduction section. BYOD Policy Best Practices: The Ultimate Checklist - Scalefusion, Introduction section. The Ultimate Guide to BYOD Security: Definition & More - Digital Guardian, The Challenges of BYOD Security section.

The first thing the CIO should do to ensure the IT organization is capable of supporting the CEO’s mandate of rolling out several new mobile services within the next 12 months is to request an assessment of current in-house mobile technology skills. This is because an assessment of current in-house mobile technology skills can help to evaluate the existing level of knowledge, experience, and competence of the IT staff in developing, deploying, and maintaining mobile applications and services. An assessment of current in-house mobiletechnology skills can also help to identify any gaps, needs, or opportunities for improvement or enhancement of the IT staff’s mobile technology skills.

Creating a sense of urgency with the IT team that mobile knowledge is mandatory is not the first thing the CIO should do, as it is a motivational factor rather than a governance factor. Creating a sense of urgency with the IT team can help to communicate the importance and priority of the CEO’s mandate, as well as inspire and encourage the IT staff to learn and adopt mobile technology skills. However, creating a sense of urgency with the IT team does not provide a comprehensive analysis or improvement plan for the IT organization’s mobile technology capabilities.

Procuring contractors with experience in mobile application development is not the first thing the CIO should do, as it is an implementation factor rather than a governance factor. Procuring contractors with experience in mobile application development can help to supplement or complement the in-house IT staff’s mobile technology skills, as well as accelerate or facilitate the delivery and quality of the new mobile services. However, procuring contractors with experience in mobile application development does not address the long-term sustainability or scalability of the IT organization’s mobile technology capabilities.

Tasking direct reports with creating training plans for their teams is not the first thing the CIO should do, as it is a subsequent step after requesting an assessment of current in-house mobile technology skills. Tasking direct reports with creating training plans for their teams can help to design and implement effective and customized learning programs and activities for the IT staff to acquire or enhance their mobile technology skills. However, tasking direct reports with creating training plans for their teams requires a clear understanding of the current state and the desired state of the IT staff’s mobile technology skills.

References := Top 15 In-Demand Technology Skills (Plus Definition), Mobile Development section. How to Develop Mobile Technology Skills | Career Trend, Step 1 section. How To Build A Mobile App Development Team - Forbes, Introduction section.

 Gap analysis results will provide the most useful information for the CIO to determine if IT staff have adequate skills to deliver on key strategic objectives, as they compare the current state ofthe IT staff skills with the desired or required state. Gap analysis results also help to identify the gaps or deficiencies in the IT staff skills, and to plan and implement the actions and strategies to close or reduce the gaps1. A gap analysis can be performed using various methods and tools, such as SWOT analysis, skill matrix, competency framework, etc.

Data definition and mapping sources from applications is the greatest challenge to implementing a business intelligence (BI) tool with data sources from various enterprise applications because it involves ensuring the consistency, accuracy, and quality of data across different systems and formats. Data definition and mapping requires defining common data elements, identifying data sources and targets, establishing data transformation rules, and resolving data conflicts and discrepancies. This is a complex and time-consuming process that requires a high level of coordination and collaboration among different stakeholders and data owners.

The best course of action for the CIO in this scenario is to identify business risk appetite and tolerance levels. Risk appetite is the amount and type of risk that an organization is willing to pursue, retain, or take in order to achieve its strategic objectives. Risk tolerance is the acceptable level of variation from the risk appetite. By identifying the business risk appetite and tolerance levels, the CIO can align the IT strategy and operations with the business goals, needs, and expectations, and ensure that the IT risks are managed within the acceptable boundaries. Identifying the business risk appetite and tolerance levels can also help the CIO to communicate and justify the IT decisions and actions to the senior management, board, and stakeholders, and to balance the costs and benefits of IT investments and initiatives. According to CPG 235 – Managing Data Risk, “The adequacy of data controls in ensuring that a regulated entity operates within its risk appetite would normally be assessed as part of introducing new business processes and then on a regular basis thereafter (or following material change to either the process, usage of data, internal controls or external environments).”

IT governance must be a component of enterprise governance, as it ensures that IT supports and enables the achievement of the enterprise goals and objectives. IT governance is the responsibility of the board of directors and executive management, and it is an integral part of enterprise governance123. IT governance also aligns IT with the enterprise strategy, deliversvalue from IT investments, manages IT risks and resources, and measures IT performance3. References := CGEIT Exam Content Outline, Domain 1, Subtopic A: Governance Framework, Task 1: Ensure the definition, establishment, and management of a framework for the governance of enterprise IT in alignment with the mission, vision and values of the enterprise.

The primary objective for performing an IT due diligence review prior to the acquisition of a competitor is to assess the status of the risk profile of the competitor. IT due diligence is a process that evaluates the technology assets, capabilities, processes, and security of a target company. It helps to identify any potential risks, liabilities, gaps, or issues that could affect the value, integration, or performance of the acquisition. IT due diligence also helps to determine the synergies, opportunities, and costs of combining or separating the IT systems and resources of both companies. By conducting an IT due diligence review, the acquirer can gain a comprehensive understanding of the competitor’s IT environment and make informed decisions about the deal.

Documenting the competitor’s governance structure, ensuring that the competitor understands significant IT risks, and determining whether the competitor is using industry-accepted practices are not the primary objectives for performing an IT due diligence review. These are possible outcomes or benefits of the review, but they are not the main purpose or goal. The primary objective is to assess the risk profile of the competitor and its impact on the acquisition.

References := IT Due Diligence Checklist: Must-Assess Technology Elements Prior to Any Acquisition - Performance Improvement Partners Blog, Introduction section. IT Due Diligence: How to Do It Right (+ Checklist) - DealRoom, What is IT due diligence? section. IT Due Diligence | Optimising IT, Introduction section. Reviewing It In Due Diligence, Overview section.

 The first course of action when the use of new technology in an enterprise will require specific expertise and updated system development processes is to assess the gap between current and required staff competencies. This course of action involves identifying the skills, knowledge, and abilities that are needed to implement and manage the new technology, and comparing them with the existing capabilities of the IT staff. By assessing the gap between current and required staff competencies, the enterprise can determine the extent and nature of the sourcing challenge, and plan for appropriate solutions, such as training, hiring, or outsourcing. According to one source1, “A competency gap analysis is a process of identifying the difference between what is required for a person to perform their role effectively and what they actually possess.” The other options are not the first course of action when the use of new technology in an enterprise will require specific expertise and updated system development processes, but rather some of the steps or outcomes that can follow or result from the gap assessment. Performing a risk assessment on potential outsourcing is a step that involves evaluating the benefits and drawbacks of delegating some or all of the IT functions related to the new technology to an external service provider. This step can be done after assessing the gap between current and required staff competencies, and identifying outsourcing as a viable option. Updating the enterprise architecture (EA) with the new technology is a step that involves incorporating the new technology into the holistic view of the enterprise’s IT environment, including its goals, principles, standards, policies, processes, technologies, and systems. This step can be done after assessing the gap between current and required staff competencies, and ensuring that the new technology aligns with the enterprise’s strategic objectives and business requirements. Reviewing the IT balanced scorecard for sourcing opportunities is an outcome that involves measuring and reporting on the performance and value of IT sourcing activities and outcomes. This outcome can be done after assessing the gapbetween current and required staff competencies, and implementing the chosen sourcing solution. References := What is Competency Gap Analysis? Definition & Examples

According to the web search results, authenticating access to information assets based on roles or business rules is the most important way to ensure appropriate ownership of access controls to address privacy compliance. This is because role-based access control (RBAC) and attribute-based access control (ABAC) are two of the most common and effective methods for enforcing the principle of least privilege, which means granting users only the minimum level of access they need to perform their tasks. This can help to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information assets, as well as to comply with privacy regulations such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). For example, one of the results1 states that "RBAC is a key component of any organization’s compliance strategy, as it helps ensure that only authorized users can access sensitive data and resources". Another result2 explains that "ABAC is a logical model for access control that supports fine-grained authorization based on attributes, environment conditions, and policies". A third result3 discusses how RBAC and ABAC can help organizations achieve privacy compliance by implementing data minimization, purpose limitation, and accountability principles. References :=

What Is Access Control? | Microsoft Security

Access Control Policy and Implementation Guides | CSRC

Understanding Data Privacy – A Compliance Strategy Can Mitigate Cyber …

The most important consideration for IT governance is to align IT investments with business objectives and deliver value to the enterprise. Cost reduction is one of the possible objectives, but not the only one. Therefore, the business value impact of each option should be evaluated to ensure that the IT investment supports the enterprise strategy and goals. References:= CGEIT Exam Content Outline, Domain 1: Governance of Enterprise IT, Subtopic A: Governance Framework, Task 1: Establish and maintain a governance framework that aligns with enterprise objectives, ensures value creation from IT-enabled investments, and manages risk at an acceptable level.

 A program roadmap is a strategic plan that outlines the vision, objectives, scope, deliverables, milestones, dependencies, risks, and benefits of a large-scale IT program. A program roadmap can help the CIO and other stakeholders to communicate, align, and monitor the progress and outcomes of the program. A program roadmap is essential for a complex and long-term IT program such as centralizing the core business processes of global entities into one core system. A program roadmap can help to ensure that the program is aligned with the IT strategy and the business goals, that the program has a clear and realistic scope and schedule, that the program has adequate resources and governance, and that the program delivers the expected value and benefits1234. References: How to Create an IT Strategy Roadmap. Definitive Guide to Developing an IT Strategy and Roadmap. What is an IT Roadmap?. How To Develop a Strategy Roadmap in Six Steps.

The first strategic action to address the report is to authorize a risk analysis of the practice. A risk analysis is a systematic process of identifying, assessing, and prioritizing the potential threats and vulnerabilities that may arise from the use of an offsite cloud for analyzing sensitive “big data” files. A risk analysis can help to determine the level of exposure and impact of the practice on the organization’s data security, privacy, compliance, and performance. A risk analysis can also provide recommendations for mitigating or avoiding the risks, such as implementing appropriate controls, policies, and procedures.

Updating data governance practices, revising the information security policy, and recommending the use of a private cloud are possible actions that may result from the risk analysis, but they are not the first step. Data governance practices are the rules and processes that define how data is created, stored, accessed, used, and disposed of within an organization. Data governance practices should align with the organization’s data strategy, objectives, and values. Information security policy is a document that outlines the principles, guidelines, and responsibilities for protecting the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data. Information security policy should reflect the organization’s risk appetite, legal obligations, and industry standards. A private cloud is a cloud computing model that provides dedicated resources and services to a single organization. A private cloud may offer more control, security, and customization than an offsite cloud, but it may also require more investment, maintenance, and expertise.

Therefore, before updating data governance practices, revising the information security policy, or recommending the use of a private cloud, it is important to conduct a risk analysis of the current practice of using an offsite cloud for analyzing sensitive “big data” files. This will help to ensure that the organization makes informed and strategic decisions that balance the benefits and risks of using cloud computing for big data analytics.

 Exercising the right to perform an audit is the best way to assess compliance and avoid reputational damage when outsourcing key IT services to third-party providers, especially in a highly regulated industry like healthcare. An audit is a systematic and independent examination of the provider’s policies, procedures, controls, and performance related to the outsourced IT services, and it can help to verify that the provider is complying with the contractual obligations, service level agreements, and regulatory requirements. An audit can also help to identify and address any gaps, issues, or risks that may affect the quality, security, or reliability of the outsourced IT services, and to ensure that the provider is delivering value and meeting the expectations of the enterprise. An audit can also provide assurance and confidence to the enterprise’s senior management, board, and stakeholders that the outsourcing arrangement is effective, efficient, and compliant. According to Outsourcing Compliance: What You Need to Know, “The right to audit clause should be included in every contract with a third-party service provider. It allows the organization to conduct an independent review of the provider’s compliance with applicable laws and regulations, contractual terms and conditions, and industry standards and best practices.”

A release and deployment plan outlines structured activities to transition new applications into production. It includes monitoring, testing, fallback procedures, and risk identification mechanisms—helping identify and address potential issues early.

While UAT and risk updates are helpful, and configurations ensure consistency, a formal release and deployment plan is the most comprehensive tool for early issue detection and delivery assurance.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation:

The CGEIT Review Manual 8th Edition, in its Benefits Realization domain, emphasizes the importance of structured decision-making for IT investments to ensure they deliver value. A business case provides a comprehensive justification for an investment, including objectives, costs, benefits, risks, and alignment with business goals. It enables stakeholders to make informed decisions by presenting a clear rationale and expected outcomes. For example, a business case for a new CRM system would detail projected revenue increases and implementation costs. The manual likely references COBIT 2019’s APO05-Managed Portfolio, which highlights the business case as a critical tool for investment evaluation.

Option B: Technology roadmap outlines future technology plans but lacks the detailed financial and benefit analysis needed for investment decisions.

Option C: Program plan focuses on execution details, not the justification for investment.

Option D: Risk classification addresses risk but doesn’t encompass the full scope of benefits and costs.

Double Verification: The answer aligns with COBIT’s APO05 and the CGEIT domain’s focus on value-driven investment decisions. The business case is a standard ISACA tool for informed decision-making.

ISACA CGEIT Review Manual 8th Edition, Domain 3: Benefits Realization (focus on investment decision-making).

COBIT 2019, APO05-Managed Portfolio.

ISACA Glossary (for definitions of business case), available at https://www.isaca.org/resources/glossary.

Key risk indicators (KRIs) are designed to provide measurable and actionable insights about the risk environment. For the board to make informed risk-based decisions, it is essential to understand the enterprise's risk appetite (what level of risk the organization is willing to take), risk threshold (the limits within which the risks are acceptable), and risk tolerance (the degree of variability the enterprise is willing to endure). These parameters frame the organization's decision-making boundaries and enable the board to align risk responses with strategic objectives. References: COBIT 2019 and CGEIT Study Guide.

The accountability for a business continuity program for business-critical systems is best assigned to the CIO, because the CIO is responsible for the IT strategy, operations, and resources that support the business objectives and continuity. The other options are not as suitable as the CIO, because they do not have the same level of authority, expertise, or involvement in the IT function. The enterprise risk manager oversees the overall risk management process, but does not have direct control over the IT resources and activities. The CEO is ultimately accountable for the entire organization, but delegates the responsibility for IT to the CIO. The director of internal audit provides assurance and consulting services on the effectiveness of governance, risk management, and control processes, but does not have operational responsibility for IT or business continuity. References := Business Continuity Program Roles & Responsibilities, Who Should Manage the Business Continuity Program?

Key performance indicators (KPIs) are metrics that measure the performance of a project, program, or investment against a set of targets, objectives, or benchmarks. KPIs can help an enterprise to determine whether a current program for IT infrastructure migration to the cloud is continuing to provide benefits by tracking the progress, efficiency, quality, and outcomes of the program. KPIs can also help to identify any gaps, issues, or risks that may affect the program’s success and enable timely corrective actions12.

Total cost of ownership (TCO) is the purchase price of an asset plus the costs of operation over its life span. TCO can help an enterprise to compare the costs and benefits of different IT infrastructure options, such as cloud versus on-premise, but it does not measure the ongoing performance or benefits of a chosen option3.

Key risk indicators (KRIs) are metrics that monitor and predict potential risks that may negatively impact an enterprise’s objectives or operations. KRIs can help an enterprise to identify and mitigate any risks associated with IT infrastructure migration to the cloud, such as security breaches, data loss, or service disruptions, but they do not measure the benefits or value of the program45.

Net present value (NPV) is the difference between the present value of cash inflows and the present value of cash outflows over a period of time. NPV is used to evaluate the profitability or return on investment of a project or investment by discounting the future cash flows to their present value. NPV can help an enterprise to decide whether to undertake an IT infrastructuremigration to the cloud based on its expected net value, but it does not measure the actual performance or benefits of the program16. References :=

3: Total Cost of Ownership: How It’s Calculated With Example - Investopedia

4: Key Risk Indicators (KRIs) - National Treasury

2: How to Develop Key Risk Indicators (KRIs) to Fortify Your Business | AuditBoard

5: How to Develop Effective Key Risk Indicators - Secureframe

1: Net Present Value (NPV) - Definition, Examples, How to Do NPV Analysis

6: NPV Formula - Learn How Net Present Value Really Works, Examples

Operational processes are the routine and repetitive tasks that support the day-to-day operations of an enterprise, such as data entry, payroll, customer service, etc. These processes are usually well-defined, standardized, and measurable, which makes them easier to outsource to a third-party provider who can perform them more efficiently and cost-effectively. Outsourcing operational processes can also free up internal resources and capabilities for more strategic and innovative activities that add value to the enterprise. Therefore, operational processes that are well-defined are a good candidate for outsourcing.

The most efficient way for an IT transformation project manager to communicate the project progress with stakeholders is to include key performance indicators (KPIs) in a monthly newsletter. This is because KPIs are measurable values that indicate how well the project is achieving its objectives and delivering value to the business1. By including KPIs in a monthly newsletter, the project manager can:

Provide a concise, clear, and consistent overview of the project status and results to the stakeholders2

Highlight the project achievements, challenges, and opportunities2

Demonstrate the alignment of the project with the business strategy, goals, and priorities2

Solicit feedback and suggestions from the stakeholders2

Foster a sense of engagement and collaboration among the stakeholders2

A monthly newsletter is an efficient communication channel, as it can reach a large and diverse audience of stakeholders, such as senior executives, business managers, IT staff, customers, and partners. It can also be easily distributed and accessed through email or intranet. A monthly frequency is appropriate for communicating the project progress, as it can provide timely and relevant information without overwhelming or distracting the stakeholders.

The other options, establishing governance forums within project management, sharing the business case with stakeholders, and posting the project management report to the enterprise intranet site are not as efficient as including KPIs in a monthly newsletter for communicating the project progress with stakeholders. They are more related to the planning and execution of the project, rather than its communication. They may also be too formal, detailed, or infrequent for some stakeholders who may prefer a more informal, concise, or frequent view of the project progress.

A business continuity plan (BCP) relies on clear roles and responsibilities to ensure effective execution during a disruption. The CGEIT Review Manual 8th Edition emphasizes that defined roles are the most critical component for BCP success, as they ensure accountability and coordination.

Extract from CGEIT Review Manual 8th Edition (Domain 3: Risk Optimization):"The most important element for executing a business continuity plan is the definition of roles and responsibilities. Clear roles ensure that all stakeholders know their duties during a disruption, enabling rapid and coordinated response." (Approximate reference: Domain 3, Section on Business Continuity Planning)

Defined roles (option A) are essential to ensure that the BCP is actionable, with individuals assigned to specific tasks, such as communication, recovery, or coordination.

Why not the other options?

B. Replicated systems: Systems are important but useless without people to manage them during a crisis.

C. A risk register: A risk register identifies risks but does not ensure BCP execution.

D. Budget allocation: Funding supports BCP development but is not the most critical for execution.

 Engaging stakeholders to identify and validate business requirements is the best way to improve the success rate of future IT initiatives. Stakeholders are the individuals or groups who have an interest or influence in the IT initiatives, such as business users, customers, managers, sponsors, etc. Engaging stakeholders can help:

Understand the needs, expectations, and priorities of the stakeholders, and ensure that they are aligned with the business objectives and strategy

Define and document the business requirements that specify what the IT initiatives should deliver in terms of functionality, quality, performance, and value

Validate and verify that the business requirements are clear, complete, consistent, feasible, and testable

Communicate and manage any changes or issues that may affect the business requirements or the IT initiatives

Engaging stakeholders to identify and validate business requirements can help avoid missing key functionality in the corporate applications, and ensure that they meet the stakeholder’s needs and expectations. This can also reduce the reliance on spreadsheets and databases as alternative software solutions, and increase the user satisfaction and adoption of the enterprise applications.

The other options are not the best way to improve the success rate of future IT initiatives. Engaging the business user community in acceptance testing of acquired applications is a good practice, but it is not sufficient to ensure that the applications have the key functionality that meets the business requirements. Acceptance testing is done at the end of the IT initiative lifecycle, after the applications have been developed or acquired. If the business requirements were not properly identified and validated at the beginning of the IT initiative lifecycle, acceptance testing may reveal significant gaps or defects that may be costly or difficult to fix. Establishing a process for risk and value management is a useful technique, but it does not directly address the issue of missing key functionality in the corporate applications. Risk and value management involves identifying, assessing, prioritizing, and treating the risks and benefits associated with IT initiatives. However, without clear and valid business requirements, risk and value management may not be effective or accurate. Prohibiting the use of non-approved alternate software solutions is a restrictive measure, but it does not solve the problem of missing key functionality in the corporate applications. Prohibiting the use of spreadsheets and databases may force the users to use the enterprise applications, but it may also create dissatisfaction, frustration, or resistance among them. Moreover, it may prevent them from performing their tasks efficiently or effectively if the enterprise applications do not meet their needs.

For more information on engaging stakeholders to identify and validate business requirements, you can refer to these web sources:

Stakeholder Engagement - ISACA

Business Requirements - ISACA

Requirements Validation - ISACA

 A common risk management taxonomy is a set of terms and definitions that are used consistently across the enterprise to describe, measure, and report on risks. A common risk management taxonomy is essential for integrating IT risk with the ERM framework, as it enables a common understanding of risk concepts, categories, and levels among different stakeholders and functions. A common risk management taxonomy also facilitates the aggregation and comparison of risks across the enterprise, and supports the alignment of risk appetite and tolerance with business objectives12. References: 1: Integrated Enterprise IT Risk Management (ERM) Programs - CohnReznick3 2: Introducing Risk Taxonomy - ISACA4

To obtain a holistic view of IT performance and identify potential gaps in service delivery, a CIO should review Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). KPIs are quantifiable measures that reflect the critical success factors of an organization and provide a comprehensive overview of performance across various aspects of IT service delivery, including efficiency, effectiveness, quality, and compliance with agreed service levels. While ROI analysis, SLA reporting, and staff performance evaluations offer valuable insights into specific areas, KPIs provide a broader perspective that encompasses various dimensions of IT performance, making them essential for a comprehensive assessment.

This is because a business case is a document that provides the justification and rationale for initiating, continuing, or terminating a project or program. It describes the business problem or opportunity, the objectives and benefits, the costs and risks, the alternatives and assumptions, and the expected outcomes and value of the proposed solution. A business case is not a static document, but rather a dynamic one that should be updated throughout the life cycle of the project or program, as new information, changes, and feedback emerge. Updating the business case throughout its life cycle can help to ensure that the project or program remains aligned with the business strategy and goals, as well as to monitor and evaluate its performance and value delivery.

Some of the sources that support this answer are:

1: This source provides a comprehensive guide on how to write a business case, including its purpose, structure, content, and format. It also explains why it is important to update the business case throughout the project or program life cycle, as it can help to track progress, measure benefits, manage risks, and communicate results.

2: This source discusses the benefits and challenges of updating the business case during the project or program execution. It suggests that updating the business case can help to validate assumptions, verify feasibility, adjust scope, and justify changes. It also provides some tips and best practices for updating the business case effectively and efficiently.

3: This source defines what a business case is and how it can be used to support IT governance and decision-making. It states that a business case should be updated regularly throughout the project or program life cycle, as it can help to ensure alignment with the enterprise architecture (EA), assess risks and opportunities, and demonstrate value realization.

Thebest governance-aligned approachis toseek input from appropriate stakeholders, including community representatives, environmental groups, and local government. This enables the organization to address concerns proactively and collaboratively, minimizing reputational and regulatory risks.

Waiting for complaints or making unilateral decisions (like buying land or reducing hours) may be less effective or even inappropriate without stakeholder input.

 Value delivery is the best indicator of the effectiveness of IT governance in an enterprise because it measures how well IT supports the business objectives and creates value for the stakeholders. The other options are important aspects of IT governance, but they are not as comprehensive as value delivery. References := ISACA, CGEIT Review Manual, 7th Edition, Chapter 1: Framework for the Governance of Enterprise IT, Section 1.2: Principles of IT Governance, p. 9.

To help ensure that IT projects related to a new business opportunity deliver the required business outcomes, the best approach is to implement stage-gate reviews that require business sign-off at each critical phase of the project. This process provides structured checkpoints where project progress, alignment with business requirements, and expected outcomes can be evaluated and validated by business stakeholders. This ensures ongoing alignment between IT project execution and business objectives, allowing for timely adjustments as needed. Hiring consultants, developing policies, and focusing on process maturity are supportive actions, but stage-gate reviews with business sign-off directly link project progression to business expectations.

To address concerns about staff saving sensitive corporate information on publicly available cloud file storage applications, the first step should be to require staff training on data classification policies. Educating employees about the types of data classified as sensitive and the associated handling requirements helps to raise awareness and change behavior. Training should emphasize the importance of protecting sensitive information and the proper use of approved storage solutions. While creating secure storage solutions, blocking access to certain applications, and revising policies are important measures, education and awareness are fundamental first steps to ensure compliance and mitigate risks.

 A data steward is a functional role in data management and governance, with responsibility for ensuring that data policies and standards turn into practice within the steward’s domain. Data stewards assist the enterprise in leveraging domain data assets to full capacity1. One of the primary responsibilities of a data steward is to establish data quality requirements and metrics, which define the criteria and measures for assessing the fitness of data for its intended use. Data quality requirements and metrics are based on the business needs and expectations of the data consumers, and they cover various dimensions of data quality, such as accuracy, completeness, consistency, timeliness, validity, and reliability23. Data stewards also monitor and report on the data quality performance, identify and resolve data quality issues, and implement continuous improvement initiatives to enhance the data quality4.

The other options are not the primary responsibility of a data steward, especially at an enterprise with mature data management programs. Implementing processes for data collection and use is a responsibility of a data engineer or a data analyst, who design and execute the technical aspects of data acquisition, transformation, storage, and analysis5. Ensuring compliance with data privacy laws and regulations is a responsibility of a data protection officer or a data privacy officer, who oversee the legal and ethical aspects of data processing, security, and consent. Developing data-related policies and procedures is a responsibility of a data governance committee or a data governance officer, who set the strategic direction and objectives for data management and governance across the enterprise.

Critical success factors (CSFs)are the specific conditions or variables that are essential for achieving business objectives. Effective KPIs must align with these CSFs to ensure they measure what truly matters to project and business success.

KRIs relate to risk, and while important, they serve a different purpose. Future-state architecture and portfolio principles guide strategy, butCSFs provide the foundational context for performance measurement.

Implementing a business intelligence (BI) tool requires integrating data from multiple enterprise applications, and the greatest challenge is often ensuring that data definitions and mappings are consistent and accurate. The CGEIT Review Manual 8th Edition notes that data integration, particularly defining and mapping data sources, is a critical hurdle in BI projects due to varying data formats, structures, and semantics across systems.

Extract from CGEIT Review Manual 8th Edition (Domain 5: Benefits Realization):"The success of business intelligence initiatives depends heavily on the quality and consistency of data. Data definition and mapping from disparate enterprise applications is often the greatest challenge, as inconsistencies in data formats, structures, and meanings can lead to inaccurate insights and project delays." (Approximate reference: Domain 5, Section on Data Management for BI)

Data definition and mapping sources from applications (option D) is the greatest challenge because it involves resolving differences in how data is structured, labeled, and interpreted across systems, which is foundational to BI success.

Why not the other options?

A. Interface issues between enterprise and BI applications: Interface issues are technical but typically less challenging than data mapping, as they can often be addressed with middleware or APIs.

B. The need for staff to be trained on the new BI tool: Training is a manageable challenge that occurs post-implementation and is not as critical as data integration.

C. Large volumes of data fed from enterprise applications: While large data volumes pose a challenge, modern BI tools are designed to handle big data, making data mapping the more significant issue.

Security and privacyare paramount when implementing IoT on a global scale. IoT devices often introduce vulnerabilities and handle sensitive data across diverse jurisdictions, making security controls and privacy compliance essential from the outset.

While staffing, cost, and integration are important,security and privacyrepresent the greatest strategic and reputational risk if not addressed early in the strategy.

Organizational responsibility for IT risk management is a critical factor for the success of the program. Without clear roles and responsibilities, the program may lack accountability, coordination, communication and alignment with the business objectives. The other options are not as concerning as option A, because they do not affect the core of the program. Having risk management-related certifications is desirable, but not mandatory, for the IT risk management team. Monitoring only a few key risk indicators (KRIs) is acceptable, as long as they are relevant and meaningful for the program. Retaining IT risk training records is important, but not essential, for the program effectiveness. References := ISACA, CGEIT Review Manual, 7th Edition, Chapter 3: Benefits Realization, Section 3.2: IT Risk Management, p. 113-114.

The alignment of user access rights with business requirements is most effectively achieved throughsystem design. During the design phase, systems are architected to incorporate role-based access controls, least privilege principles, and segregation of duties based on business needs. While data classification and architecture support information management, and maturity models help assess governance capability,system design operationalizes access controls directly in alignment with enterprise roles and responsibilities.

This is supported byCOBIT principlesthat emphasize embedding governance requirements into system design and implementation to ensure alignment, value delivery, and risk mitigation.

IT portfolio performance metrics must reflect the value delivered to the business, making business unit stakeholders’ input critical. The CGEIT Review Manual 8th Edition emphasizes that business stakeholders are the primary source for defining metrics that align with business objectives.

Extract from CGEIT Review Manual 8th Edition (Domain 5: Benefits Realization):"When establishing metrics to monitor IT portfolio performance, the input of business unit stakeholders is most important, as they define the business objectives and value expectations that the IT portfolio must deliver." (Approximate reference: Domain 5, Section on Performance Metrics)

Considering the input of business unit stakeholders (option D) ensures that metrics measure outcomes that matter to the business, such as revenue growth, customer satisfaction, or operational efficiency.

Why not the other options?

A. Project management office (PMO): The PMO focuses on project execution, not business value definition.

B. IT executives: IT executives provide technical input, but business stakeholders define value.

C. The chief executive officer (CEO): The CEO may set high-level goals, but business units provide detailed requirements.

Engaging stakeholders in scenario developmentis essential to identifying relevant and realistic crisis events that the business continuity plan should address. Stakeholders bring diverse perspectives on potential threats and operational priorities, which improves the completeness and effectiveness of the BCP.

Walk-throughs and communication reviews are important later stages, butscenario development is foundationalfor making the BCP comprehensive.

Boards are most concerned with whether IT investments aredelivering the expected value and business outcomes. Thus, therealization of benefits in the business caseis the most relevant indicator of IT strategy execution effectiveness.

Risk metrics, SLAs, and spending detail are important butdo not directly measure success in achieving strategic outcomes.

When assessing the implications of new external regulations on IT compliance, the first consideration should be the IT policies and procedures that need revision. This initial focus ensures that the foundational guidelines governing IT operations are aligned with the new regulatory requirements, forming the basis for compliance. While the resource burden for implementation, gaps in skills and experience of IT employees, and the impact on contracts with service providers are important considerations, they follow the primary step of ensuring that IT policies and procedures are in compliance with new regulations.

Concerns about unethical behavior, such as stealing confidential information, should be reported through established ethical reporting mechanisms to ensure impartiality and compliance with governance policies. The CGEIT Review Manual 8th Edition advises using ethics hotlines or similar channels to handle allegations of misconduct.

Extract from CGEIT Review Manual 8th Edition (Domain 1: Governance of Enterprise IT):"Allegations of unethical behavior, including the misuse of confidential information, should be reported through the enterprise’s ethics hotline or designated reporting channel. This ensures that concerns are handled impartially, in accordance with governance policies, and with appropriate escalation to senior management or the board." (Approximate reference: Domain 1, Section on Ethical Governance)

Reporting the concern to the ethics hotline (option B) is the best course of action, as it follows governance protocols, protects the IT director from retaliation, and ensures an independent investigation.

Why not the other options?

A. File a report with the local law enforcement agency: Involving law enforcement is premature without evidence and bypasses internal governance processes.

C. Discuss the concern with the chair directly: Confronting the chair risks escalation and lacks impartiality, potentially compromising the investigation.

D. Conduct an investigation to substantiate the chair’s activities: The IT director should not conduct an investigation personally, as this could compromise objectivity and governance protocols.

For large enterprises, the greatest challenge when procuring IaaS is ensuring the vendor meets corporate requirements, including compliance, integration standards, security, scalability, and service levels. The complexity of aligning cloud capabilities with internal policies and operational needs can create governance gaps.

Other options represent necessary practices, but the alignment of vendor capabilities with enterprise standards is foundational to long-term success and risk mitigation.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation:

The CGEIT Review Manual 8th Edition, in its Governance of Enterprise IT domain, emphasizes the role of enterprise architecture (EA) in ensuring IT investments align with business strategies. If EA is not being leveraged, governance processes must enforce its use during project execution.

Option B: Require EA review at key milestones is the best approach. Integrating EA reviews into project stage gates (e.g., design, implementation) ensures that IT investments adhere to the EA’s standards, principles, and roadmap. For example, a review might confirm that a new system aligns with the EA’s technology stack. The manual likely references COBIT 2019’s APO03-Managed Enterprise Architecture, which advocates for EA integration in project governance.

Option A: Form a team to update EA regularly is proactive but doesn’t enforce EA use in projects.

Option C: Publish and train on the EA document raises awareness but lacks enforcement.

Option D: Adopt a globally recognized EA framework is unnecessary if an EA exists, as the issue is leverage, not framework choice.

Double Verification: The answer aligns with COBIT’s EA governance processes and the CGEIT domain’s focus on project alignment. Milestone reviews are a standard ISACA practice for EA enforcement.

ISACA CGEIT Review Manual 8th Edition, Domain 1: Governance of Enterprise IT (focus on enterprise architecture).

COBIT 2019, APO03-Managed Enterprise Architecture.

ISACA Glossary (for definitions of EA), available at https://www.isaca.org/resources/glossary.

The enterprise’s data owner retains accountabilityfor the governance of data retention, even when the data is transferred to a third party. Outsourcing does not eliminate governance responsibilities; the data owner must ensure compliance with policies, regulations, and contractual terms, including how long data is retained and under what conditions.

While third parties execute controls,the enterprise remains accountable for the data and its governance outcomes.

The board’s concern about the total cost of IT requires a clear explanation of how IT spending is structured. The CGEIT Review Manual 8th Edition notes that providing a breakdown of operational versus capital expenditures is critical to helping stakeholders understand IT costs and their alignment with business value.

Extract from CGEIT Review Manual 8th Edition (Domain 5: Benefits Realization):"When addressing concerns about IT costs, the CIO should provide a clear breakdown of operational expenditures (e.g., maintenance, salaries) versus capital expenditures (e.g., new systems, infrastructure). This transparency helps the board understand cost drivers and their contribution to business value." (Approximate reference: Domain 5, Section on Cost Management)

A breakdown of operational versus capital expenditures (option D) directly addresses the board’s concern by showing how IT funds are allocated, distinguishing between ongoing costs and investments in new capabilities.

Why not the other options?

A. A summary of benefits that will be achieved once key IT initiatives are completed: While benefits are important, they do not directly address the total cost concern, which requires cost transparency first.

B. A mapping of IT employee roles to the balanced scorecard: This is a performance management tool, not directly relevant to explaining total IT costs.

C. A benchmark of IT employee salary costs against comparable organizations: Benchmarking salaries is a narrow focus and does not provide a comprehensive view of total IT costs.

Before any strategic direction can be set for AI initiatives,assessing the current AI capabilities and infrastructureis essential. This foundational step provides a baseline of where the organization currently stands, what assets or skills it possesses, and what gaps may exist.

Subsequent actions, such as developing use cases, forming teams, or crafting policies, rely heavily on this understanding. Without a proper assessment, strategic decisions may be misaligned with the organization’s actual readiness or capabilities.

Control self-assessments (CSAs)are the best method to continuously monitor and improve IT governance activities. CSAs empower internal teams to regularly evaluate performance, identify gaps, and initiate corrective actions, ensuring ongoing compliance and alignment with governance objectives.

External audits and mappings are periodic and less dynamic, whereasCSAs offer proactive, continuous oversight.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation:

The CGEIT Review Manual 8th Edition, in its Strategic Management domain, describes a comprehensive architecture framework (e.g., enterprise architecture) as a tool to align IT with business strategies. The primary outcome is identifying business goal conflicts, as the framework maps business processes, systems, and strategies, revealing misalignments (e.g., conflicting departmental objectives). This enables resolution to ensure cohesive strategy execution. The manual likely references COBIT 2019’s APO03-Managed Enterprise Architecture, which highlights conflict identification as a key benefit.

Option A: Third-party relationships are secondary and not the primary focus.

Option C: Relevant controls are an outcome but not the primary one, as controls follow alignment.

Option D: Management policies are unrelated to architecture frameworks.

Double Verification: The answer aligns with COBIT’s APO03 and the CGEIT domain’s focus on strategic alignment. Conflict identification is a core outcome of EA in ISACA’s frameworks.

ISACA CGEIT Review Manual 8th Edition, Domain 1: Governance of Enterprise IT (focus on enterprise architecture).

COBIT 2019, APO03-Managed Enterprise Architecture.

ISACA Glossary (for definitions of architecture framework), available at https://www.isaca.org/resources/glossary.

The best way for an enterprise to address new legal and regulatory requirements applicable to IT is to treat them as a risk to be assessed before developing a response. This approach involves identifying the potential impact of the new requirements on the organization, evaluating the likelihood and consequences of non-compliance, and then developing a prioritized response plan based on this risk assessment. This method ensures a measured and proportional response that aligns with the organization's risk appetite and strategic objectives. While benchmarking, adopting a zero-tolerance approach, and using cost-benefit analysis are useful, they should be part of a broader risk-based strategy to address compliance effectively.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation:

The CGEIT Review Manual 8th Edition, in its Risk Optimization domain, addresses the need for proactive detection and response to security incidents to minimize risks. The undetected breach attempt highlights a gap in real-time monitoring and alerting.

Option D: The implementation of an intrusion detection and reporting process is the most important. An intrusion detection system (IDS) monitors network and system activities for unauthorized access, generating alerts for immediate response. This would have ensured the breach attempt was detected and reported in real-time, preventing potential data loss. The manual likely references COBIT 2019’s DSS05-Managed Security Services, which emphasizes intrusion detection as a critical security control.

Option A: Periodic analyses of logs and databases is reactive and may not detect breaches in time, unlike real-time IDS.

Option B: A review of security and risk frameworks is broad and long-term, not addressing the immediate detection gap.

Option C: A comprehensive data management policy focuses on data governance, not real-time breach detection.

Double Verification: The answer aligns with COBIT’s DSS05 and the CGEIT domain’s focus on security incident detection. Intrusion detection is a standard ISACA recommendation for preventing undetected breaches.

ISACA CGEIT Review Manual 8th Edition, Domain 4: Risk Optimization (focus on security incident detection).

COBIT 2019, DSS05-Managed Security Services.

ISACA Glossary (for definitions of intrusion detection), available at https://www.isaca.org/resources/glossary.

The best way to ensure that security risk is properly addressed when implementing an information security policy exception process is to confirm process owners’ acceptance of residual risk. Residual risk is the risk that remains after applying controls or mitigating measures to reduce the original risk1. Process owners are the individuals or groups that are responsible for the design, execution, and performance of a business process2. By confirming process owners’ acceptance of residual risk, the enterprise can ensure that the security risk associated with the policy exception is understood, acknowledged, and agreed upon by the relevant stakeholders. This can also help to assign accountability and liability for the potential consequences of the policy exception, as well as to monitor and review the risk level and the effectiveness of the controls or mitigating measures. The other options are not as effective as confirming process owners’ acceptance of residual risk for ensuring that security risk is properly addressed when implementing an information security policy exception process. Performing an internal and external network penetration test is a useful technique for identifying and exploiting vulnerabilities in the network infrastructure, but it does not address the specific security risk related to the policy exception. Obtaining IT security approval on security policy exceptions is a necessary step for validating and authorizing the policy exception, but it does not ensure that the process owners are aware of and accept the residual risk. Benchmarking policy against industry best practice is a good practice for comparing and improving the policy quality and performance, but it does not address the security risk associated with the policy exception.

Device vulnerabilitiesrepresent the greatest technical risk in IoT implementations. IoT devices often have limited security features, can be difficult to patch, and may be deployed in large numbers—making them a common attack vector.

Integration and obsolescence matter, butvulnerabilities directly impact data protection, system integrity, and compliance, posing an immediate and high-priority risk.

Demonstrating adequate strategic oversight of IT by the board involves providing transparent, formal, and authoritative evidence to stakeholders, particularly for a publicly traded enterprise. The CGEIT Review Manual 8th Edition highlights that IT governance reporting in official documents, such as the annual report, is a key mechanism to communicate the board’s oversight role to shareholders, regulators, and other stakeholders.

Extract from CGEIT Review Manual 8th Edition (Domain 1: Governance of Enterprise IT):"The board of directors is responsible for ensuring that IT governance is aligned with enterprise objectives and that oversight is transparent to stakeholders. Including IT governance reporting in the annual report provides a formal mechanism to demonstrate accountability, strategic alignment, and oversight to shareholders and regulatory bodies." (Approximate reference: Domain 1, Section on Governance Framework and Reporting)

Including IT governance reporting in the annual report (option C) directly addresses the need to demonstrate board oversight in a formal, public, and credible manner, as it reaches shareholders and regulators who expect such disclosures in official financial and governance documents.

Why not the other options?

A. Annual IT governance communication to all staff: Internal communication to staff is important for alignment but does not directly demonstrate board oversight to external stakeholders like investors or regulators.

B. Press releases targeted at large investors: Press releases are informal and may lack the credibility and permanence of an annual report. They are not a standard mechanism for governance reporting.

D. Annual presentation of IT performance metrics: While performance metrics are useful, a presentation is typically internal or limited in scope and does not provide the formal, public disclosure required to demonstrate board oversight.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation:

The CGEIT Review Manual 8th Edition, in its Risk Optimization domain, emphasizes the importance of aligning IT risk management with the enterprise’s overall risk management strategy. Key risk indicators (KRIs) are metrics used to monitor potential risks and provide early warnings. To establish effective KRIs, the enterprise must first understand its risk tolerance and priorities.

Option A: The enterprise risk appetite should be identified first. Risk appetite defines the level of risk the enterprise is willing to accept in pursuit of its objectives, guiding the selection of KRIs. For example, if the enterprise has a low risk appetite for data breaches, KRIs might focus on metrics like unauthorized access attempts. Identifying risk appetite ensures KRIs are relevant and aligned with strategic goals. The manual likely references COBIT 2019’s APO12-Managed Risk, which highlights risk appetite as a foundational element of risk management.

Option B: Key performance metrics relate to performance, not risk, and are not directly relevant to KRIs.

Option C: Risk mitigation strategies are developed after identifying risks and KRIs, not before.

Option D: Enterprise architecture (EA) components may inform risk identification but are secondary to defining risk appetite.

Double Verification: The answer aligns with COBIT’s APO12 and the CGEIT domain’s focus on risk management foundations. Risk appetite is a prerequisite for KRI development in ISACA’s frameworks.

ISACA CGEIT Review Manual 8th Edition, Domain 4: Risk Optimization (focus on risk management and KRIs).

COBIT 2019, APO12-Managed Risk.

ISACA Glossary (for definitions of risk appetite and KRIs), available at https://www.isaca.org/resources/glossary.

Establishing a data governance framework is the first strategic action in addressing the situation where financial data is being managed in a way that will negatively impact the enterprise’s ability to support regulatory reporting. This is because a data governance framework is a structured approach to managing and utilizing data in an organization. It includes policies, procedures, and standards that guide how data is collected, stored, managed, and used1. A data governance framework can help to:

Improve data quality, accuracy, consistency, and completeness1

Ensure data privacy, security, and compliance with regulatory requirements1

Align data with business strategy, objectives, and priorities1

Enhance data integration, accessibility, and usability1

Define data roles and responsibilities and assign accountability1

By establishing a data governance framework, the enterprise can address the root cause of the problem, which is the lack of control and oversight over the financial data. A data governance framework can help to ensure that the financial data is properly managed and utilized to support regulatory reporting and other business needs.

The other options, assigning data responsibilities through a RACI chart, reviewing key risk indicators (KRIs) related to data management, and updating data management policies are not as effective as establishing a data governance framework for addressing the situation. They are more related to the implementation and execution of the data governance framework, rather than its design. They are also dependent on the existence of a data governance framework, as they require a clear understanding of the data landscape, goals, and standards of the organization.

An effective information retention policy must be based onbusiness and compliance requirements.These include legal mandates, industry regulations, and internal operational needs that dictate how long data must be retained and when it should be archived or deleted.

While storage needs, backups, or customer expectations matter,only regulatory and business alignment guarantees legal compliance and operational relevance.

Alignment with the enterprise risk management (ERM) frameworkis the top priority when developing IT risk management policies. This ensures that IT risk is not managed in a silo but is integrated into the broader enterprise risk posture, decision-making processes, and governance.

While corporate culture and best practices are influential, and goals and objectives shape strategy,only the ERM framework provides the structured foundation for aligning IT risk with enterprise-wide risk management.

Thebest strategic responseis todevelop and enforce IT asset life cycle policies in consultation with business units. This approach ensures that legacy systems are managed proactively and collaboratively, balancing risk management, regulatory compliance, and operational needs. Policies should define criteria for decommissioning, archival solutions, and acceptable retention practices.

Firewalls and isolation are tactical mitigations, not strategic solutions. Surcharges may discourage usage but do not resolve governance and retention challenges comprehensively.

Risk management is the process of identifying, analyzing, evaluating, and treating the uncertainties that may affect the achievement of objectives. Risk management helps to ensure that decisions are made with an awareness of probability and impact, which means that the likelihood and consequences of potential events are considered and weighed against the benefits and costs of the actions. This can help to optimize the risk-reward balance, enhance the quality and consistency of decision-making, and support the achievement of desired outcomes. References:

CGEIT Review Manual 2021, Chapter 2: IT Risk Management, Section 2.1: Risk Management Overview, page 551

CGEIT Review Questions, Answers & Explanations Manual 2021, Question 1, page 152

The Benefits of Risk Management - PMI3

This is because moving all IT applications to an external SaaS cloud provider means that the organization is outsourcing the development, deployment, maintenance, and operation of its IT applications to a third-party vendor. This implies that the organization is relinquishing some control and ownership over its IT applications, and relying on the vendor to provide the required functionality, performance, quality, and security1. Therefore, the organization needs to shift its focus from delivering IT services internally to managing IT services externally. This involves the following activities2:

Establishing and maintaining a clear and comprehensive contract or service level agreement (SLA) with the SaaS vendor that defines the roles, responsibilities, expectations, and outcomes of both parties2

Monitoring and measuring the SaaS vendor’s compliance with the contract or SLA, and ensuring that the vendor meets the agreed service levels, standards, and metrics2

Communicating and collaborating with the SaaS vendor regularly, and resolving any issues, conflicts, or changes that may arise during the service delivery2

Evaluating and improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the SaaS vendor’s service delivery, and identifying and implementing any opportunities for innovation or optimization2

Managing the risks and challenges associated with outsourcing IT services to a SaaS vendor, such as data privacy, security, availability, compatibility, integration, dependency, cost, and performance issues2

The shift from service delivery to service management can have a significant impact on the IT governance framework, processes, policies, and practices of the organization. It can also affect the IT skills, roles, and responsibilities of the IT staff and stakeholders. Therefore, the organization needs to adapt and adjust its IT governance approach accordingly to ensure that it can effectively oversee and optimize its IT services in a SaaS environment3.

The other options, the integration of the IT department with business lines, the improvement of IT service alignment with business, and the necessity to update key risk indicators (KRIs) are not as significant as the shift from service delivery to service management for moving all IT applications to an external SaaS cloud provider from an IT governance perspective. They are more related to the outcomes or consequences of moving to a SaaS environment, rather than the impact or change itself. They may also not be unique or specific to a SaaS environment, as they may apply to other types or models of IT service delivery as well.

Implementing appropriate controlsis the most critical leadership responsibility when deploying mobile technologies. Controls cover access, encryption, monitoring, and loss prevention—addressing core risks such as data leakage and unauthorized access.

Acceptable use and policy alignment are necessary, butcontrols ensure security and compliance in practice.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation:

The CGEIT Review Manual 8th Edition, in its Benefits Realization domain, emphasizes ensuring that IT investments deliver maximum value aligned with business objectives. An IT value delivery framework is a structured approach to managing IT initiatives to ensure they create, sustain, and optimize value for the enterprise. This involves defining value metrics, aligning IT projects with strategic goals, and monitoring outcomes throughout the project lifecycle.

Option D: Optimize value to the enterprise is the primary purpose of an IT value delivery framework. The framework ensures that IT investments are prioritized, executed, and evaluated to maximize benefits (e.g., revenue growth, cost savings, operational efficiency) while minimizing risks and costs. For example, it might use value management techniques (e.g., cost-benefit analysis, ROI tracking) to ensure IT projects deliver measurable outcomes aligned with enterprise goals. The manual likely references COBIT 2019’s APO05-Managed Portfolio, which focuses on optimizing the value of IT investments.

Option A: Improve value of successful IT projects is too narrow, as the framework aims to optimize value across all IT initiatives, not just successful ones.

Option B: Increase transparency of value to the enterprise is a secondary benefit. While transparency (e.g., through reporting) is important, the primary goal is value optimization.

Option C: Assist top management in approving IT projects is a governance function, not the primary focus of value delivery, which occurs post-approval during execution and evaluation.

Double Verification: The answer aligns with COBIT’s APO05 and the CGEIT domain’s focus on benefits realization. The term “optimize value” is consistent with ISACA’s emphasis on maximizing stakeholder value in GEIT.

ISACA CGEIT Review Manual 8th Edition, Domain 3: Benefits Realization (focus on value management).

COBIT 2019, APO05-Managed Portfolio.

ISACA Glossary (for definitions of value delivery), available at https://www.isaca.org/resources/glossary.

Effective risk management in IT governance requires that risk evaluation is embedded in the management processes of the organization. This means that risk evaluation is not a separate or isolated activity, but rather an integral part of the planning, execution, monitoring, and reporting of IT activities and initiatives. Embedding risk evaluation in the management processes can help:

Identify and assess the potential threats and opportunities that may affect the achievement of IT and business objectives

Align the IT risk appetite and tolerance with the enterprise risk appetite and tolerance

Prioritize and allocate the resources and actions to address the risks based on their impact and likelihood

Monitor and report the risk performance and outcomes in relation to the IT value drivers and benefits

Embed the risk culture and awareness across the organization

Standardization is the process of establishing and applying common rules, formats, definitions, and methods for data collection, storage, processing, and exchange. Standardization is critical for enabling data interoperability, which is the ability of data to be shared and used across different systems, platforms, applications, and organizations. Standardization can help improve data interoperability by:

Enhancing the quality, consistency, and accuracy of data

Reducing the complexity and ambiguity of data

Increasing the compatibility and comparability of data

Facilitating the integration and analysis of data

Promoting the reuse and sharing of data

Principles and policies are the best way to convey IT governance direction and objectives, as they provide a clear and consistent framework for decision making, behavior, and actions in the organization. Principles are the fundamental statements that guide the IT governance process and reflect the values and beliefs of the organization. Policies are the specific rules and procedures that implement the principles and ensure compliance with the IT governance objectives12.

Skills and competencies are the abilities and knowledge that enable the IT staff to perform their roles and responsibilities effectively. They are important for achieving IT governance objectives, but they do not convey them directly. Skills and competencies are developed through training, education, and experience3.

Corporate culture is the shared set of norms, beliefs, and values that influence the behavior and attitudes of the organization’s members. Corporate culture can support or hinder IT governance, depending on how well it aligns with the IT governance objectives. Corporate culture is influenced by leadership, communication, and incentives4.

Business processes are the activities and tasks that deliver value to the organization’s customers and stakeholders. Business processes are aligned with the IT governance objectives to ensure efficiency, effectiveness, and quality. Business processes are designed, executed, monitored, and improved using various methods and tools5.

The first thing that a new CIO should do to set the strategic direction for IT is to review the existing enterprise strategic objectives. The enterprise strategic objectives are the high-level goals and priorities that guide the organization’s vision, mission, and value creation. The CIO should understand the current state and desired state of the enterprise, as well as the opportunities, challenges, and risks that it faces. The CIO should also assess how IT supports and enables the enterprise strategic objectives, and identify any gaps, issues, or areas for improvement.

The other options are not the first thing that a new CIO should do to set the strategic direction for IT. Developing well-defined business cases that include strategic outcomes is part of the IT investment management process, which involves selecting, prioritizing, approving, and funding IT projects and initiatives that deliver value to the enterprise. Remapping stakeholder analysis and desired expectations is part of the stakeholder engagement process, which involves identifying, communicating, and managing the needs and expectations of the internal and external stakeholders of IT. Redesigning detailed RACI charts of the IT function is part of the IT organizational design process, which involves defining and assigning the roles, responsibilities, authorities, and accountabilities of the IT staff and units.

When faced with new regulations, the first step is to assess the risk they pose to the enterprise, including the likelihood and impact of noncompliance, even if enforcement is historically weak. The CGEIT Review Manual 8th Edition underscores that risk evaluation is the initial step in addressing emerging risks to prioritize actions and allocate resources effectively.

Extract from CGEIT Review Manual 8th Edition (Domain 3: Risk Optimization):"Evaluating the impact of emerging risks, such as new regulations, is the first step in the risk management process. This involves assessing the potential consequences of noncompliance, including financial, operational, and reputational impacts, as well as the likelihood of enforcement." (Approximate reference: Domain 3, Section on Risk Assessment)

Evaluating the impact of the emerging risk (option C) allows the enterprise to understand the potential penalties, operational disruptions, and reputational damage, as well as the likelihood of enforcement given the agency’s history. This assessment informs whether mitigation plans, architecture updates, or other actions are necessary.

Why not the other options?

A. Develop mitigation plans for noncompliance: Mitigation plans are developed after assessing the risk’s impact and likelihood, as the assessment determines the scope and urgency of mitigation.

B. Update the enterprise architecture (EA): Updating the EA may be a subsequent action if the risk assessment identifies specific architectural gaps, but it is not the first step.

D. Perform benchmarking activities: Benchmarking is not directly relevant to assessing regulatory risk and is a secondary activity at best.

 The frequency of IT services risk profile updates is a metric that measures how often the IT organization assesses and updates the risks associated with its services. This metric is useful to ensure that IT services meet business requirements, as it helps to identify and mitigate potential threats and vulnerabilities that could affect the availability, performance, reliability, and security of the services. A high frequency of IT services risk profile updates indicates that the IT organization is proactive and responsive to changing business needs and expectations. A low frequency of IT services risk profile updates suggests that the IT organization is reactive and complacent, and may not be aware of or prepared for emerging risks that could impact the business. References := Performance Measurement Metrics for IT Governance - ISACA, The 8 IT service management metrics that matter most

Given that critical security monitoring was being neglected due to other demands, theIT steering committee's first priority should be to re-prioritize IT projects.This ensures that resources are allocated to security monitoring and risk mitigation, which are essential to enterprise protection.

Assessments and staffing changes may follow, butthe immediate governance action is to adjust prioritiesin light of organizational risk.

The executive team consists of the senior leaders of the enterprise, such as the CEO, CFO, COO, etc. They are responsible for setting the vision, mission, goals, and strategy of the enterprise, andfor overseeing its performance and governance. The CIO is part of the executive team and should align the IT strategic plan with the enterprise business objectives. Therefore, the CIO would be most effective by starting the interview process with the executive team, as they can provide the most relevant and authoritative input on the enterprise’s direction, priorities, challenges, and expectations. The executive team can also help the CIO gain support and approval for the IT strategic plan from other stakeholders, such as the internal auditors, senior IT managers, and business process owners. References: ISACA, Reporting Cybersecurity Risk to the Board of Directors, page 81. ISACA, Performance Measurement Metrics for IT Governance, page 1

A vendor risk assessment is the most important consideration when integrating a new vendor with an ERP system, because it helps to identify and evaluate the potential risks or hazards associated with the vendor’s operations and products and their impact on the organization. A vendor risk assessment can cover aspects such as security, compliance, quality, reliability, performance, and contingency plans. By conducting a vendor risk assessment, the organization can mitigate the risks and ensure a smooth and secure integration with the ERP system. The other options are not as important as a vendor risk assessment, because they are either dependent on or secondary to it. IT senior management selects the vendor based on the results of the vendor risk assessment and other criteria. ERP data mapping is approved by the enterprise architect afterthe vendor risk assessment confirms that the vendor’s data is compatible and consistent with the ERP system. Procurement provides the terms of the contract after the vendor risk assessment validates that the vendor meets the organizational standards and obligations. References := Guide to Vendor Risk Assessment, 10 Risk Assessment Factors for ERP System Integration Projects, Ensuring Vendor Compliance and Third-Party Risk Mitigation

A balanced scorecard is a tool that helps to measure and communicate the value of IT initiatives to the board of directors. It aligns IT objectives with business goals, tracks performance indicators, and shows the contribution of IT to the enterprise value. A balanced scorecard can also help to identify gaps and areas for improvement in IT governance. References := CGEIT Review Manual, 7th Edition, Chapter 3: Benefits Realization, Section 3.3: Value Delivery Frameworks and Mechanisms, pp. 103-105.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation:

The CGEIT Review Manual 8th Edition, in its Governance of Enterprise IT domain, highlights the need for IT performance reporting to ensure transparency with senior management. Key performance indicators (KPIs) provide a comprehensive view of IT operations, covering metrics like system availability, project delivery, and cost efficiency. KPIs align IT performance with business objectives, offering a holistic perspective. The manual likely references COBIT 2019’s MEA01-Monitor, Evaluate, and Assess Performance, which emphasizes KPIs for performance visibility.

Option A: KRIs focus on risks, not overall performance.

Option B: ROI reports are financial and project-specific, not comprehensive.

Option D: SLA performance statistics are narrow, focusing only on service delivery.

Double Verification: The answer aligns with COBIT’s MEA01 and the CGEIT domain’s focus on performance reporting. KPIs are the standard ISACA tool for IT performance visibility.

ISACA CGEIT Review Manual 8th Edition, Domain 1: Governance of Enterprise IT (focus on performance reporting).

COBIT 2019, MEA01-Monitor, Evaluate, and Assess Performance.

ISACA Glossary (for definitions of KPIs), available at https://www.isaca.org/resources/glossary.

According to the web search results, IT change management is the process of tracking and managing a change throughout its entire life cycle, from start to closure, with the aim to minimize risk1. One of the steps in the IT change management process is to collect and analyze data, quantify gaps and understand resistance, and modify the plan as needed2. The final step in completing the changes to IT processes is to ensure a return to stabilized business operations, which means that the change has been successfully implemented and the expected benefits have been realized3. This step also involves closing the change request, documenting the lessons learned, and celebrating the achievements4.

The other options are not the final step in completing the changes to IT processes, but rather intermediate steps that occur before or during the change implementation. Updating the configuration management database (CMDB) is a step that occurs during the change implementation, as it involves recording and tracking the changes made to the IT assets and services. Empowering the business to embrace the changes is a step that occurs before and during the change implementation, as it involves providing communication, training, and support to help the stakeholders adopt and adapt to the changes. Updating the enterprise architecture (EA) is a step that occurs before or during the change implementation, as it involves aligning the IT strategy, processes, and systems with the business goals and requirements.

Cost-benefit analysisis the most effective and practical approach for evaluating the value of cybersecurity investments. It allows comparison of expected benefits (risk reduction, incident cost avoidance, compliance) against the costs (investment, operations).

While NPV and IRR are solid financial tools, they are better suited to revenue-generating projects. Cybersecurity's value is often intangible or indirect, making a straightforwardcost-benefit frameworkmore suitable.

This is because calibrating and scaling delivery of IT services means adjusting and optimizing the IT service portfolio, processes, and resources to meet the changing and diverse needs and expectations of the business1. By following this approach, the large enterprise can:

Align IT services with business strategy, objectives, and priorities1

Enhance IT service quality, efficiency, and effectiveness1

Improve IT service agility, flexibility, and responsiveness1

Reduce IT service costs, risks, and waste1

Increase IT service value, satisfaction, and innovation1

Calibrating and scaling delivery of IT services can help the large enterprise revamp its IT services in a way that supports and enables the business success.

The other options, addressing gaps within the management of IT-related risk, focusing on business innovation through knowledge, expertise, and initiatives, and adhering to on-time and on-budget IT service delivery are not as appropriate as calibrating and scaling delivery of IT services for a large enterprise to follow when revamping its IT services. They are more related to specific aspects or outcomes of IT service management, rather than a holistic and strategic approach. They may also be too narrow or rigid for a large enterprise that needs to adapt and evolve its IT services to the dynamic and complex business environment. They may not address the full scope or potential of IT service improvement and transformation.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation:

The CGEIT Review Manual 8th Edition, in its Governance of Enterprise IT domain, defines roles and responsibilities for information security. The data owner is accountable for ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability (CIA) of information, as they have authority over specific data sets and define security requirements. For example, a data owner for customer data ensures access controls and data protection measures are in place. The manual likely references COBIT 2019’s APO14-Managed Data, which assigns CIA accountability to data owners.

Option B: Lead legal counsel advises on legal compliance, not CIA.

Option C: Risk manager oversees risk but not specific data accountability.

Option D: Data custodian implements controls but is not accountable for CIA.

Double Verification: The answer aligns with COBIT’s APO14 and the CGEIT domain’s focus on data roles. Data owner accountability is a standard ISACA principle.

ISACA CGEIT Review Manual 8th Edition, Domain 1: Governance of Enterprise IT (focus on data roles).

COBIT 2019, APO14-Managed Data.

ISACA Glossary (for definitions of data owner), available at https://www.isaca.org/resources/glossary.

When a regulatory change significantly affects an ongoing project, thefirst step should be to perform an impact analysis and update the business case.This helps the organization understand how the change influences cost, timelines, compliance, and value delivery.

Only after understanding the impact should actions such as seeking reapproval, changing scope, or applying for exemptions be considered. This aligns with the principle of informed decision-making in IT governance.

The best approach to ensure global regulatory compliance when implementing a new business process is to ensure the appropriate involvement of the legal department. The legal department is the function that provides legal advice and guidance to the organization on various matters, such as contracts, transactions, disputes, regulations, and compliance. By involving the legal department in the implementation of a new business process, the organization can ensure that the business process complies with the relevant laws, policies, and standards that apply in different countries and jurisdictions. The legal department can also help to identify and mitigate any legal risks or issues that may arise from the new business process, such as liability, litigation, or sanctions.

The other options are not as effective as ensuring the appropriate involvement of the legal department for ensuring global regulatory compliance when implementing a new business process. Using a balanced scorecard to track the business process is a good practice for measuring and evaluating the performance and value of the business process, but it does not guarantee compliance with global regulations. Reviewing and revising the business architecture is a necessary step for designing and aligning the business process with the business strategy and objectives, but it does not address the legal aspects of the business process. Seeking approval from the change management board is a relevant procedure for implementing a new business process, but it does not ensure that the change management board has the expertise or authority to assess and approve the global regulatory compliance of the business process.

Outsourcing IT services requires a clear distinction between core and non-core processes to ensure that strategic capabilities are retained in-house while non-core activities are outsourced. The CGEIT Review Manual 8th Edition highlights that identifying core and non-core processes is the most essential consideration for outsourcing decisions.

Extract from CGEIT Review Manual 8th Edition (Domain 5: Benefits Realization):"The most critical consideration in outsourcing IT services is identifying core and non-core business processes. Core processes, which provide competitive advantage, should typically be retained, while non-core processes can be outsourced to improve efficiency and focus on strategic priorities." (Approximate reference: Domain 5, Section on Outsourcing Strategy)

Identification of core and non-core business processes (option A) ensures that outsourcing aligns with the enterprise’s strategic goals and avoids compromising critical capabilities.

Why not the other options?

B. Compliance with enterprise architecture (EA): EA compliance is important but secondary to determining what processes should be outsourced.

C. Alignment with existing human resources (HR) policies and practices: HR alignment is operational and less critical than strategic process identification.

D. Adoption of a diverse vendor selection process: Vendor selection follows the decision to outsource and is not the primary consideration.

Integrating IT security policies into individual performance objectives is the best way to support the objective of driving a cultural shift to enhance compliance with IT security policies. This is because performance objectives are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals that define what each employee is expected to accomplish and how they will be evaluated1. By integrating IT security policies into performance objectives, the enterprise can:

Communicate the importance and value of IT security policies to each employee2

Motivate and incentivize employees to comply with IT security policies2

Monitor and measure employees’ compliance with IT security policies2

Provide feedback and recognition to employees who comply with IT security policies2

Identify and address any gaps or issues in employees’ compliance with IT security policies2

Integrating IT security policies into performance objectives can help to create a culture of accountability, responsibility, and awareness for IT security within the enterprise. It can also help to align the individual goals of employees with the organizational goals of IT governance.

The other options, communicating IT security policies on a regular basis, acknowledging and signing IT security policies by each employee, and centrally posting IT security policies with detailed instructions are not as effective as integrating IT security policies into performance objectives for supporting the objective of driving a cultural shift to enhance compliance with IT security policies. They are more related to the dissemination and implementation of IT security policies, rather than their integration and evaluation. They may not have a significant impact on the behavior and attitude of employees towards IT security policies, as they may not provide sufficient motivation, feedback, or recognition for compliance. They may also be perceived as passive, formal, or coercive methods of enforcing IT security policies, rather than active, informal, or collaborative methods of engaging employees in IT security policies. References := Performance Objectives - SMART Goals - BusinessBalls, How toIntegrate Security Into Employee Performance Objectives, IT Security Policy: Key Components & Best Practices for Every Business …

Identifying business drivers should be the first step in planning an IT governance implementation, because business drivers are the factors that influence the enterprise’s vision, mission, goals and objectives, and determine the direction and scope of its IT strategy. Business drivers can include internal and external factors such as customer needs, market trends, regulatory requirements, competitive pressures, organizational culture, etc. By identifying business drivers, the enterprise can ensure that its IT governance implementation is aligned with its business needs and expectations, and that it delivers value to the stakeholders. According to the COBIT 5 framework1, one of the principles of governance of enterprise IT (GEIT) is “covering the enterprise end-to-end”, which implies that GEIT should integrate and align with the enterprise governance system1. Therefore, IT governance implementation should start from understanding the enterprise context and drivers. References: Tips for Implementing IT Governance With COBIT 5 - ISACA

Developing an IT strategy to leverage AI requires a clear understanding of business needs and objectives to ensure alignment. The CGEIT Review Manual 8th Edition emphasizes that the first step in strategic IT planning is to identify and document business requirements, as these drive the development of an IT strategy that supports enterprise goals.

Extract from CGEIT Review Manual 8th Edition (Domain 4: Strategic Management):"The development of an IT strategy begins with a thorough understanding of business requirements and objectives. Documenting requirements mapped to business functions ensures that the IT strategy is aligned with enterprise goals and delivers value." (Approximate reference: Domain 4, Section on Strategic Alignment)

Documenting requirements mapped to each business function (option A) ensures that the AI strategy is tailored to specific business needs, such as improving customer experience, optimizing operations, or enhancing decision-making. This step precedes technical or operational considerations, as it establishes the foundation for the strategy.

Why not the other options?

B. Benchmark how other IT organizations are leveraging AI: Benchmarking is useful for gaining insights but is a secondary step that should follow the identification of business requirements. Without clear requirements, benchmarking may lead to irrelevant comparisons.

C. Define the IT infrastructure requirements for AI implementation: Infrastructure requirements are technical details that come after understanding business needs and defining the scope of AI use cases.

D. Define an operational level agreement (OLA) between IT and business functions: OLAs are operational agreements that support implementation, not strategy development. They are premature at this stage.

 An IT risk-aware culture is one that promotes a shared understanding of risk and supports the organization’s strategy, business model, operational practices, and competitive advantage1. It works to strengthen the core of an organization’s operations and protects customers, the brand, and the bottom line1. An IT risk-aware culture also involves the participation and collaboration of all stakeholders in identifying, assessing, and managing IT risks2. Therefore, the BEST evidence of an IT risk-aware culture across an enterprise is when business staff report identified IT risks. This indicates that the business staff are aware of the potential threats and impacts that IT risks can pose to the organization, and that they are willing and able to communicate and escalate them to the appropriate authorities3.

The other options are not as good as option A. While it is important to communicate IT risks to the business, publish IT risk-related policies, and ensure the resilience of the IT infrastructure, these are not sufficient to demonstrate an IT risk-aware culture across an enterprise. They are rather means to achieve the end goal of managing and mitigating IT risks. They do not necessarily reflect the level of awareness, attitude, and behavior of the organization’s employees toward risk and how risk is managed within the organization. References :=

Cultivating a Risk Intelligent Culture - Deloitte US1

Building an Effective Risk-Aware Culture - Magazine4

7 Steps to Create a Risk-Aware Culture | Treasury & Risk3

According to the ISACA paper on IT Governance Reporting1, the IT strategy committee is a board-level committee that is responsible for overseeing and guiding the IT strategy and governance of the enterprise. The IT strategy committee helps to ensure that IT supports and enables the achievement of the enterprise’s strategy, objectives and goals, and that IT delivers value, benefits and competitive advantage to the enterprise. One of the decisions that would be made by the IT strategy committee is the composition of the investment portfolio, which is the set of IT projects and programs that are selected, prioritized, funded and monitored by the enterprise. The composition of the investment portfolio reflects the strategic alignment, value proposition and risk profile of IT, as well as the resource allocation and optimization of IT. The other options are not decisions that would be made by the IT strategy committee, but rather by other IT governance bodies or roles, such as the IT steering committee, the IT management team, or the chief information officer (CIO). References: IT Governance Reporting, IT Strategy Committee

because this is a role that should approve major IT purchases to help prevent conflicts of interest. An IT steering committee is a group of senior executives and board members who are responsible for overseeing and directing the IT function and ensuring that it aligns with the enterprise’s vision, mission, goals, and strategy12. An IT steering committee should approve major IT purchases, such as hardware, software, services, or projects, to ensure that they are justified, prioritized, and aligned with the business needs and expectations, and that they deliver value and performance to the enterprise12. An IT steering committee should also ensure that the IT procurement process is transparent, fair, and ethical, and that there are no conflicts of interest or undue influence from the IT vendors or suppliers1

Quantitative criteria are measurable and objective indicators that can be used to assess the costs, benefits, risks, and value of IT projects1. By using quantitative criteria, an enterprise can compare and prioritize different IT project proposals, justify and secure the required funding and resources, monitor and control the project progress and performance, and evaluate the actual outcomes and impacts of the project after implementation1. Quantitative criteria can also help to demonstrate the alignment of IT projects with the enterprise’s strategic objectives and goals, and to communicate the value proposition of IT projects to the stakeholders1.

The other options are not the primary reason for using quantitative criteria in developing business cases for IT projects, as they are either secondary or unrelated benefits. Benchmarking project success with similar enterprises may help to identify best practices and areas for improvement, but it is not the main purpose of using quantitative criteria. Learning lessons from errors made in past projects may help to avoid repeating mistakes and enhance project quality, but it is not the main purpose of using quantitative criteria. Applying other corporate standards to the development project may help to ensure consistency and compliance, but it is not the main purpose of using quantitative criteria.

The first step in updating an IT strategic plan is to identify changes in enterprise goals. An IT strategic plan is a document that defines how the IT function supports the overall business strategy and objectives of an enterprise1. It should be aligned with and driven by the enterprise goals, which may change over time due to internal or external factors, such as market conditions, customer demands, competitor actions, regulatory requirements, or organizational changes2. Therefore, before updating the IT strategic plan, it is essential to identify and understand the changes in enterprise goals and their implications for IT. This will help to ensure that the IT strategic plan remains relevant, realistic, and effective in delivering value to the enterprise. References: CGEIT Review Manual (Digital Version) or CGEIT Review Manual (Print Version), Chapter 2: IT Resources, Section 2.1: IT Strategy Development and Maintenance, Subsection 2.1.1: IT Strategy Development Process, Page 55-56. What is an IT Strategic Plan?.

 This should be the first thing that executive leadership does to address the concern of quality issues in their software products, as it helps to identify and understand the underlying factors and causes that led to the quality problems1. A root cause analysis is a systematic process of investigating a problem or incident by asking a series of questions, such as why, how, what, where, and when, until the root cause or causes are found1. By requiring a root cause analysis and reviewing the results, executive leadership can gain insight into the nature and extent of the quality issues, as well as their impact on the market reputation and customer satisfaction ratings. They can also use the results to devise and implement corrective and preventive actions to resolve the quality issues and prevent them from recurring1.

The other options are not as important or effective as requiring a root cause analysis and reviewing the results, as they are either specific solutions or outcomes of the root cause analysis, but not comprehensive steps. Allocating budget to hire more software and quality assurance specialists may help to improve the software development and testing process, but it may not address the root cause or causes of the quality issues, which could be related to other factors, such as requirements, design, tools, methods, or culture2. Implementing a software development life cycle (SDLC) framework may help to standardize and optimize the software development process, but it may not address the root cause or causes of the quality issues, which could be related to other factors, such as communication, collaboration, feedback, or training3. Mandating more robust software testing prior to release may help to detect and fix more defects before launching the software products, but it may not address the root cause or causes of the quality issues, which could be related to other factors, such as scope creep, change management, or quality assurance

Effective IT risk management is not a standalone process, but rather a part of the overall business risk management framework. IT risks are interrelated with business risks, and they can affect the achievement of business objectives and strategies. Therefore, IT risk management should align with business risk management processes, such as identifying, assessing, prioritizing, treating, monitoring, and reporting risks. Aligning IT risk management with business risk management processes can help ensure that IT risks are considered in the context of the business environment, that IT risk appetite and tolerance are consistent with the business risk appetite and tolerance, that IT risk responses are aligned with the business risk responses, and that IT risk performance is communicated to the relevant stakeholders. Aligning IT risk management with business risk management processes can also help optimize the use of resources, enhance the value of IT investments, and improve the governance and accountability of IT risks. 

Mapping of business objectives to IT risk is the most important factor to address in a risk self-assessment for current IT services, because it helps to align the IT risk management strategy with the business strategy and goals. Mapping of business objectives to IT risk also helps to identify and prioritize the key IT risks that could affect the achievement of the business objectives, and to determine the appropriate risk responses and controls. Mapping of business objectives to IT risk also helps to communicate the value and benefits of IT risk management to the business stakeholders, and to foster a risk-aware culture within the organization. One of the sources that supports this answer is A Comprehensive Guide To Risk And Control Self -Assessment RCSA, which states that “RCSA aims to include the use of risk management techniques, business processes, and cultures in staff work and businesses to achieve objectives.”

The scope and stakeholders of the audit are the most important information to provide to the consultant before the audit begins, because they define the objectives, boundaries, and expectations of the audit. The scope and stakeholders of the audit are also part of the IT governance domain 1: Framework for the Governance of Enterprise IT1. References := 1: CGEIT Review Manual 2023, ISACA, page 23.

 A strategic HR plan is a document that drives the business forward by evaluating where the workforce is at and comparing it to future needs. It sets out the organizational goals and outlines how the HR team will help achieve them1. A strategic HR plan for IT would help to identify and address the gaps, challenges, and opportunities in the IT talent management, such as recruitment, retention, development, engagement, and succession2. A strategic HR plan for IT would also help to align the IT workforce with the IT strategy and objectives, and to ensure that the IT personnel have the skills, competencies, and motivation to support the organization’s new strategy3. A strategic HR plan for IT would also help to communicate and collaborate with the IT personnel and other stakeholders, and to foster a positive and supportive IT culture4.

Key performance indicators (KPIs) are the best way to enable an IT steering committee to monitor the achievement of overall IT objectives on a continuous basis, as they are metrics that measure the progress and outcomes of IT activities, processes, and projects in relation to the enterprise’s vision, strategy, and goals. KPIs can help the IT steering committee to assess and communicate the effectiveness and efficiency of IT operations, services, and initiatives, as well as their contribution to customer satisfaction, business value, and innovation. KPIs can also help the IT steering committee to identify and address any issues or gaps in IT performance or alignment, as well as to evaluate and improve the IT governance and management practices. Performance Measurement Metrics for IT Governance provides an overview of KPIs and their benefits for IT governance.

Defined service level agreements (SLAs), project portfolio dashboards, and IT user survey results are also useful ways to monitor the achievement of overall IT objectives, but they are not the best way. Defined SLAs are contracts that specify the scope, standards, and expectations of IT service delivery, as well as the roles, responsibilities, and rights of both the service provider and the service recipient. Defined SLAs can help ensure that the IT services meet the quality and availability requirements of the business units, as well as monitor and measure the service performance and compliance. Project portfolio dashboards are tools that display the status, progress, and performance of IT projects in a graphical or visual way. Project portfolio dashboards can help track and communicate the key information and data about IT projects, such as scope, schedule, budget, risks, or issues. IT user survey results are feedback or opinions collected from the end users of IT systems or services through questionnaires or interviews. IT user survey results can help gauge and improve the user satisfaction and experience with IT systems or services, as well as identify and address any user needs or expectations.

Increasing the maturity of IT process from being ad hoc to being repeatable means that the process is documented and followed consistently, resulting in more predictable and reliable outcomes. According to the capability maturity model for the IT governance process, a repeatable level indicates that “required outcomes are more frequently achieved” 1. References: CGEIT Domain 1: Framework for the Governance of Enterprise IT

The aspect of information governance that best enables an enterprise to avoid duplication of records and promote consistency of data is data modeling. Data modeling is the process of creating and maintaining a logical representation of the data structures, relationships, and constraints that exist in an enterprise’s data sources, such as databases, applications, or systems. Data modeling can help ensure that the data is accurate, complete, and standardized across the enterprise, as well as facilitate the integration, analysis, and sharing of data. Data modeling can also help improve the data quality, security, and governance, as well as support the business processes and decisions that rely on data. What is Data Modeling? Definition & Best Practices provides an overview of data modeling and its benefits.

A vision statement should be the primary input when developing IT strategy, because it is a concise and clear expression of the enterprise’s desired future state and direction, and it reflects the enterprise’s mission, values, and goals12. A vision statement can help to guide and inspire the IT function to align its activities and resources with the business needs and expectations, and to deliver value and innovation to the enterprise. A vision statement can also help to communicate and monitor the IT strategy and objectives, and measure the IT performance and outcomes12. References := ISACA, CGEIT Review Manual, 7th Edition, 2019, page 23-24.

According to the CGEIT exam guide, the risk appetite is the amount and type of risk that an enterprise is willing to accept in pursuit of its objectives. It is a key element of the IT governance framework and should be defined by senior management before developing and managing digital applications for a new enterprise. The risk appetite provides the basis for establishing the risk management strategy, policies and processes, as well as the risk culture and awareness of the enterprise. References: CGEIT Exam Candidate Guide, page 15. CGEIT Certification

The best IT governance action to minimize the likelihood of IT failures jeopardizing the corporate value of an IT-dependent organization is to implement an IT risk management framework. An IT risk management framework is a set of policies, processes, and tools that help identify, analyze, evaluate, treat, monitor, and communicate the IT risks that may affect the achievement of the organization’s objectives and goals. An IT risk management framework can help reduce the probability and impact of IT failures, such as system outages, data breaches, cyberattacks, or project delays, by implementing appropriate controls and mitigation strategies. An IT risk management framework can also help align the IT risks with the organization’s riskappetite and tolerance, as well as ensure compliance with regulations and standards. What is IT Risk Management? | RSA provides an overview of IT risk management and its benefits.

Installing an IT continuous monitoring solution, defining IT performance management measures, and benchmarking IT strategy against industry peers are also useful IT governance actions, but they are not the best way to minimize the likelihood of IT failures. Installing an IT continuous monitoring solution is a process that uses software tools or systems to collect, analyze, and report on IT performance and compliance data, such as availability, reliability, security, or efficiency. Installing an IT continuous monitoring solution can help detect and respond to IT failures in a timely and effective manner, as well as improve the visibility and accountability of IT operations. Defining IT performance management measures is a task that involves selecting and defining the metrics that measure the achievement of specific goals or objectives for IT processes, systems, or services. Defining IT performance management measures can help evaluate and communicate the effectiveness and efficiency of IT operations, services, and projects, as well as their contribution to business value and customer satisfaction. Benchmarking IT strategy against industry peers is a technique that involves comparing and contrasting the IT practices, capabilities, or outcomes of an organization with those of its competitors or similar organizations. Benchmarking IT strategy against industry peers can help identify and adopt best practices or innovations for IT governance and management, as well as assess the strengths and weaknesses of the organization’s IT performance.

 Guiding principles and best practices are the most important elements to document for a business ethics program, because they provide the foundation and direction for the program. Guiding principles are the core values and beliefs that inform the ethical behavior and decision-making of the organization and its stakeholders. Best practices are the methods and techniques that have been proven to be effective and efficient in achieving the desired ethical outcomes. Documenting guiding principles and best practices helps to communicate the purpose, scope, and objectives of the business ethics program, as well as the roles and responsibilities, policies and procedures, standards and expectations, and evaluation and improvement mechanisms. Documenting guiding principles and best practices also helps to align the business ethics program with the organizational strategy and culture, and to foster a consistent and coherent ethical environment.

References := How to Build a Business Ethics Program - Bizmanualz, A Guide for Business How to develop a Human rights Policy.

According to the web search results, a request for proposal (RFP) is a formal document that solicits proposals from potential vendors for a product or service. The RFP process is intended toensure a fair, transparent and objective selection of the best vendor that meets the requirements and expectations of the project sponsor and the enterprise. The RFP process typically involves the following steps1:

Planning and preparation: Define the scope, objectives, budget, timeline and evaluation criteria of the project. Identify the stakeholders and decision makers involved in the RFP process. Research the market and potential vendors. Develop the RFP document that outlines the project details, requirements, expectations and instructions for the vendors.

Issuing and advertising: Distribute the RFP document to the potential vendors, either directly or through public channels. Provide a deadline for submitting proposals and a contact person for inquiries. Advertise the RFP opportunity to attract more qualified vendors.

Receiving and reviewing: Receive the proposals from the vendors by the deadline. Review and evaluate the proposals based on the predefined criteria, such as technical capabilities, experience, references, pricing, etc. Shortlist the most suitable vendors for further consideration.

Negotiating and awarding: Conduct negotiations with the shortlisted vendors to clarify any questions, concerns or issues. Discuss the terms and conditions of the contract, such as scope, deliverables, schedule, payment, etc. Select the best vendor that offers the most value and benefit to the project and the enterprise. Award the contract to the chosen vendor and notify the other vendors of the decision.

Managing and monitoring: Manage and monitor the performance and progress of the vendor throughout the project lifecycle. Ensure that the vendor meets the contractual obligations and delivers quality results on time and within budget. Provide feedback and support to the vendor as needed. Resolve any conflicts or disputes that may arise.

A project sponsor who circumvents the RFP selection process violates the established policies and procedures of the enterprise, as well as undermines the integrity and credibility of the RFP process. The most likely reason for this control gap is a lack of accountability for policy adherence, which means that there is no clear assignment of roles and responsibilities for following and enforcing the policies, or no effective mechanisms for monitoring and reporting policy compliance, or no adequate consequences for policy violations. A lack of accountability for policy adherence can lead to poor governance, increased risk, reduced value and damaged reputation for both the project sponsor and the enterprise23. Therefore, it is essential to establish and maintain a strong culture of accountability for policy adherence within the enterprise, as well as to implement appropriate controls and measures to ensure compliance with policies. References: The RFP process: The Ultimate Step-by-Step Guide, Criteria and Methodology for GRC Platform Selection, The Ultimate RFP Guide: Steps, Guidelines & Template, Guidebook: Crafting a Driven Request for Proposals (RFP)

The first step in establishing a risk management process is to identify assets, because assets are the resources that have value to the organization and need to be protected from potential threats. Assets can include physical, human, information, financial, and intangible assets. Identifying assets helps to determine their criticality, ownership, and dependencies, as well as the potential impact of losing or compromising them. According to the ISO 31000:2018 standard, one of the components of the risk management framework is establishing the context, which includes defining the scope, objectives, and criteria for risk management, as well as identifying the internal and external factors that can affect the achievement of objectives1. Identifying assets is part of establishing the context. The other steps of the risk management process, such as identifying threats, determining the probability of occurrence, assessing risk exposures, and implementing risk treatments, follow after identifying assets. References := 1: ISO 31000:2018(en), Risk management — Guidelines

According to the ISACA paper on IT Governance Reporting1, the most important benefit of effective IT governance reporting is that it helps business executives better understand IT’s value contribution to the enterprise. IT governance reporting is the process of communicating relevant and reliable information about the performance, value and risk of IT to the stakeholders who are responsible for making decisions and taking actions related to IT. Effective IT governance reporting enables business executives to have a clear and comprehensive view of how IT supports and enables the achievement of the enterprise’s strategy, objectives and goals. It also helps business executives to assess the alignment, efficiency and effectiveness of IT, as well as to identify and address the gaps, issues and opportunities for improvement. Effective IT governance reporting fosters trust, collaboration and accountability between business and IT, and enhances the reputation and credibility of IT within the enterprise. The other options are not as important as business executives better understanding IT’s value contribution to the enterprise, as they are more related to the means or outcomes of effective IT governance reporting, rather than the benefit itself. References: IT Governance Reporting

Key performance indicators (KPIs) are metrics that help measure the performance of IT service delivery and align it with the business goals and stakeholder expectations. KPIs can help the IT governance committee to monitor, evaluate and improve the availability, quality and efficiency of the web-facing infrastructure. KPIs can also help identify and address any issues or risks that may affect the service level agreements (SLAs) or customer satisfaction. KPIs should be established before implementing other measures such as web operations procedures, business continuity plans (BCPs) or customer survey processes, as they provide the basis for setting objectives, targets and benchmarks for these measures. References: ISACA, Performance Measurement Metrics for IT Governance, page 11. datapine, Top 20 IT KPIs - Explore The Best IT KPI Examples & IT Metrics

 A cost-benefit analysis (CBA) is a process that evaluates the costs and benefits of a project or investment to determine its feasibility and profitability for an organization. A CBA can help the IT steering committee to compare different options for establishing a virtual reality store, such as the required hardware, software, data center, security, marketing, maintenance, etc. A CBA can also help estimate the potential revenues, customer satisfaction, competitive advantage, and social impact of the virtual reality store. A CBA can provide a rational basis for decision-making and prioritization of the project. A CBA should be requested before other actions such as a resource gap analysis, a key risk indicator (KRI) development, or a threat assessment, as they depend on the scope and objectives of the project that are defined by the CBA. References: ISACA, Performance Measurement Metrics for IT Governance, page 11. ProjectManager, Cost-Benefit Analysis: A Quick Guide with Examples and Templates2. HBS Online, Cost-Benefit Analysis: What It Is & How to Do It

According to the CGEIT exam guide, a global IT program management office (PMO) is responsible for overseeing and coordinating the IT projects and programs across the enterprise, ensuring alignment with the enterprise’s strategy, objectives and governance framework. A PMO also helps to identify, assess, monitor and mitigate the risks associated with IT projects and programs, and to optimize the benefits and value delivered by IT investments. Therefore, the primary concern of the PMO should be the inability to reduce the impact to the risk level of the global portfolio, as this could jeopardize the overall performance and success of the enterprise’s IT initiatives. If several IT projects are being run within a specific region without knowledge of the PMO, this could create potential risks such as duplication of efforts, lack of integration, inconsistency of standards and practices, misalignment of expectations and requirements, and conflicts of interests or resources. These risks could negatively affect the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of the IT projects and programs, as well as their alignment with the enterprise’s strategy, objectives and governance framework. The PMO should be aware of all IT projects and programs within the enterprise, and ensure that they follow a consistent and transparent process of planning, execution, monitoring and control. The PMO should also ensure that the IT projects and programs are aligned with the enterprise’s risk appetite and tolerance, and that they are regularly assessed for their risks, benefits and value. References: CGEIT Exam Candidate Guide, page 14. CGEIT Certification, The Role of Program Management Offices (PMOs) in Driving Business Strategy Execution

According to the CGEIT exam guide, a skills competency assessment is a process of identifying and measuring the skills, knowledge and abilities of IT employees. It helps to determine the current and desired levels of proficiency for each skill, as well as the gaps and needs for improvement. A skills competency assessment is the most important input for designing a development program to help IT employees improve their ability to respond to business needs, as it provides a clear picture of the strengths and weaknesses of the IT workforce, and the areas where training, coaching, mentoring or other interventions are required. References: CGEIT Exam Candidate Guide, page 14. CGEIT Certification, Skills Competency Assessment

because this would help the enterprise to comply with privacy laws and regulations by identifying and labeling the data according to its sensitivity, confidentiality, and protection requirements. Data classification can help the enterprise to apply the appropriate security controls, access rights, retention policies, and disposal methods for the data, and to prevent unauthorized or unlawful use, disclosure, or breach of the data12. Data classification can also help the enterprise to demonstrate its accountability and transparency for the data processing activities, and to meet the expectations and rights of the data subjects12.

IT resource planning is the process of identifying, allocating, and managing the IT resources needed to support the enterprise’s objectives and strategies. The primary objective of IT resource planning should be to maximize the value received from IT, which means ensuring that the IT resources are aligned with the business needs, optimized for efficiency and effectiveness, and delivering the expected benefits and outcomes. IT resource planning should also consider the risks, costs, and opportunities associated with IT resources, as well as the service level agreements (SLAs) and outsourcing options that may affect the quality and availability of IT services. References: CGEIT Exam Content Outline | ISACA1, CGEIT Review Manual (Digital Version), What are the Objectives of Resource Management? | Kantata2, What Is Resource Planning: A Comprehensive Guide3

According to the CGEIT exam guide, the primary reason a CIO and IT senior management should stay aware of the business environment is to adjust IT strategy as needed. IT strategy is the plan that defines how IT will support and enable the business strategy and objectives of the enterprise. The business environment is the external and internal factors that affect theenterprise’s performance and success, such as market trends, customer demands, competitor actions, regulatory changes, technological innovations, etc. The CIO and IT senior management should stay aware of the business environment to identify and anticipate the opportunities and threats that may arise, and to align and adapt the IT strategy accordingly. This will help to ensure that IT delivers value, benefits and competitive advantage to the enterprise, and that IT risks are managed and mitigated effectively. References: CGEIT Exam Candidate Guide, page 13. CGEIT Certification, What is IT Strategy?, What is Business Environment?

Right-to-audit clauses are intended to ensure the vendor addresses compliance requirements, which means that the vendor follows the laws, regulations, standards, and contractual obligations that apply to their business activities and operations. Right-to-audit clauses give the contracting party the right to access and review the records, processes, or activities of the vendor to verify that they are complying with the relevant compliance requirements and that they are meeting the expectations and responsibilities outlined in the contract. Right-to-audit clauses also help to identify and mitigate any compliance risks or issues that may arise from the vendor’s performance or conduct, and to enforce any corrective actions or remedies if needed. References: Right To Audit Clause Guide: Examples, Gotcha’s & More1, Why You Should Use a Right to Audit Clause2, The Importance of Audit Rights in Vendor Contracts - Venminde

 IT goals and objectives are the desired outcomes and targets that IT aims to achieve in support of the business strategy and objectives. IT goals and objectives should be defined first before establishing IT key risk indicators (KRIs), because they provide the direction and scope for the IT risk management process. KRIs are metrics that measure and monitor the level and trend of risk exposure, and help to identify and manage potential threats or opportunities that could affect the achievement of IT goals and objectives1. Therefore, by defining IT goals and objectives first, an enterprise can ensure that its KRIs are relevant, aligned, and consistent with its IT strategy and value delivery2. References := Key Risk Indicators (KRIs) - ISACA, Integrating KRIs and KPIs for Effective Technology Risk Management - ISACA.

Data stewards are primarily responsible for applying frameworks for the governance of IT to balance the need for security controls with business requirements, as they are the custodians of the data quality, integrity, and security within an organization. Data stewards define and implement data policies, standards, and procedures, as well as monitor and report on data compliance and performance. Data stewards also collaborate with other stakeholders, such as data owners, data users, and data scientists, to ensure that the data is aligned with the business objectives and meets the regulatory and ethical requirements.

Data scientists, data analysts, and data processors are not primarily responsible for applying frameworks for the governance of IT, as they are more focused on the technical aspects of data collection, analysis, and processing. Data scientists use advanced methods and tools to extract insights and value from data. Data analysts use descriptive and inferential statistics to explore and interpret data. Data processors perform operations on data, such as entry, validation, transformation, storage, and retrieval.

References := What is a Data Steward? | Informatica; Data Governance Roles: The Ultimate Guide | Collibra; Data Governance Roles: Who Does What? | erwin; [What is IT governance? A formal way to align IT & business strategy].

Data classification is a process of organizing and categorizing data based on its characteristics, confidentiality, and sensitivity. Data classification helps to determine the level of access and protection that data requires. Data classification also makes data easier to understand, compare, and analyze. Data classification is an essential part of information security, as it helps to align the security measures and policies with the data’s value and risk. By incorporating data classification into the information architecture, the IT processes can ensure that information security requirements are taken into consideration from the design stage to the implementation stage. References :=

What is Data Classification? A Data Classification Definition

What is Sensitive Data? Definition, Examples, and More

Portfolio management is the process of selecting, prioritizing, monitoring and controlling the projects, programs and other related work that best align with the enterprise’s strategic objectives and deliver the most value to the stakeholders. The primary strategic goal of implementing portfolio management is to maximize value from the combined investments by ensuring that they are aligned with the enterprise’s vision, mission, goals and values, and that they are optimized in terms of risk, return and resource allocation. References: CGEIT Domain 2: IT Resources

The best way for IT to prepare for a transformation initiative by leveraging emerging technology that will have a significant impact on existing products and services is to assess the impact on the existing IT strategy. An IT strategy is a plan that defines how IT will support the business strategy and objectives, and how IT will deliver value to the enterprise1. By assessing the impact of the emerging technology on the existing IT strategy, IT can determine whether the current IT vision, mission, goals, and capabilities are aligned with the transformation initiative, and whether they need to be revised or updated2. Assessing the impact of the emerging technology on the existing IT strategy also helps IT to identify and prioritize the opportunities, challenges, and risks that the emerging technology may bring, and to develop appropriate solutions and responses3. Assessing the impact of the emerging technology on the existing IT strategy also helps IT to communicate and collaborate with the business stakeholders, and to ensure that the IT investments are aligned with the business needs and expectations4.

References := IT Strategy: What is it?, How to create an effective IT strategy in 2022, Emerging Technology Strategy: A Guide for CIOs, Maximizing Emerging Technology Adoption Benefits - Gartner

The first step to strengthen and enforce current data governance practices after a data leakage incident is to verify data owners. Data owners are the individuals or groups who have the authority and responsibility to define, classify, protect, and manage the data assets of an enterprise1. By verifying data owners, the enterprise can ensure that the data is properly accounted for, categorized, and secured according to its value, sensitivity, and risk. Data owners can also establish data policies, standards, and procedures, as well as monitor and report on data quality, usage, and compliance1. Verifying data owners is a prerequisite for assessing data security controls, reviewing data logs, and analyzing data quality, as these activities depend on the accurate identification and assignment of data ownership roles and responsibilities. References: CGEIT Review Manual (Digital Version) or CGEIT Review Manual (Print Version), Chapter 4: Risk Optimization, Section 4.2: IT Risk Management Process, Subsection 4.2.1: IT Risk Identification, Page 163-164. Top 10 Effective Data Governance Tools.

The BEST time to identify metrics to measure the performance of an IT-enabled investment is during business case development. A business case is a document that provides the rationale and justification for initiating a project or investment1. It includes information such as the objectives, scope, benefits, costs, risks, assumptions, and success criteria of the proposed project or investment2. Identifying metrics to measure the performance of an IT-enabled investment during business case development can help to:

Define the expected outcomes and value of the investment3

Establish a baseline and targets for comparison and evaluation4

Align the investment with the strategic goals and objectives of the enterprise5

Communicate and demonstrate the benefits and impacts of the investment to stakeholders

Monitor and control the progress and performance of the investment throughout its lifecycle References :=

Business Case Development - Project Management Institute1

How to Write a Business Case - ProjectManager.com2

How to Measure the Value of an IT Investment - TechSoup3

Maximizing IT Performance: 11 Metrics and KPIs to Monitor - Whatfix4

Top 10 Essential IT Metrics & KPIs - Apptio5

17 Metrics For Evaluating The Success Of Tech Projects And … - Forbes

8 Portfolio Performance Metrics Investors Should Understand - Navexa

The first thing that the enterprise should do after learning of a new regulation that may impact delivery of one of its core technology services is to assess the risk associated with the new regulation. A risk assessment is a process of identifying, analyzing, and evaluating the potential threats and impacts of a risk event on the enterprise’s objectives, processes, and resources1. A risk assessment can help the enterprise understand the nature, scope, and severity of the new regulation, as well as its compliance requirements, costs, and benefits. A risk assessment can also help the enterprise prioritize and implement the appropriate risk responses, such as avoiding, reducing, transferring, or accepting the risk2. According to COBIT 5, one of the seven enablers of IT governance is risk management, which includes assessing IT-related risks and aligning them with enterprise risks3. The risk assessment is also part of the IT governance domain 3: Risk Management4.

The other options are not the first things that the enterprise should do after learning of a new regulation. Updating the risk management framework is a step that may be done after assessing the risk associated with the new regulation, as it involves reviewing and improving the policies, procedures, and practices for managing IT risks in the enterprise. Determining whether the board wants to comply with the regulation is a step that may be done after assessing the risk associated with the new regulation, as it involves consulting with the board and other stakeholders on the strategic and ethical implications of complying or not complying with the regulation. Requesting an action plan from the risk team is a step that may be done after assessing the risk associated with the new regulation, as it involves defining and executing the tasks and activities for achieving compliance and mitigating risk.

The first step for the IT steering committee to review proposals for projects that implement emerging technologies is to understand how the emerging technologies will influence risk across the enterprise. Emerging technologies are new or evolving technologies that have the potential to create significant value or disruption for the enterprise, such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, cloud computing, etc. Emerging technologies can also introduce new or increased risks, such as security, privacy, compliance, ethical, operational, strategic, etc. Therefore, the IT steering committee should understand the nature, scope, and impact of these risks, and how they affect the enterprise’s risk appetite, tolerance, and profile. By understanding the risk implications of emerging technologies, the IT steering committee can evaluate the proposals more effectively and objectively, and ensure that they align with the enterprise’s strategy, goals, and governance framework. According to ISACA’s CGEIT Domain 4: Risk Optimization1, “the enterprise should identify and assess the risks associated with emerging technologies and their potential impact on the enterprise’s objectives and performance.” Furthermore, according to ISACA’s article on Emerging Tech Risk2, “the IT steering committee should have a clear understanding of the risk landscape of emerging technologies and how they affect the enterprise’s risk posture and appetite.” Therefore, understanding how the emerging technologies will influence risk across the enterprise is the best first step for the IT steering committee to review proposals for projects that implement emerging technologies. References:

Emerging Tech Risk - ISACA

IT Governance: Definitions, Frameworks and Planning - ProjectManager

What is IT governance? A formal way to align IT & business strategy | CIO

CGEIT Domain 4: Risk Optimization

Enterprise architecture (EA) is the best option to support the planning of IT investments required for the enterprise, because EA is a practice and a discipline that describes and documents the current and future state of the enterprise’s business processes, applications, data, infrastructure, and security, and how they align with the enterprise’s vision, mission, goals, and objectives. EA can help the enterprise to plan IT investments by providing a holistic view of the enterprise’s IT architecture, identifying the gaps, needs, and opportunities for improvement, innovation, or transformation, and prioritizing and selecting the IT projects, programs, and portfolios that deliver the most value to the stakeholders and customers. According to ISACA’s CGEIT Domain 2: IT Resources1, “EA is a key enabler for IT investment planning and decision making. EA helps to ensure that IT investments are aligned with business strategy and support business outcomes.” Furthermore, according to ISACA’s article on EA2, “EA can help to optimize IT spending by reducing complexity, duplication, and waste, and by increasing efficiency, agility, and interoperability.” Therefore, EA is the best way to support the planning of IT investments required for the enterprise.

Organizational culture is the most important consideration when designing an implementation plan for IT governance, because it influences the ethics, values, behaviors, and attitudes of the people involved in the governance process. Organizational culture also affects the acceptance, adoption, and sustainability of the IT governance framework and practices. According to COBIT 5, one of the seven enablers of IT governance is culture, ethics and behavior1. The roadmap for implementing and improving IT governance also emphasizes the importance of understanding and addressing the cultural and behavioral aspects of the enterprise2. References := 1: COBIT 5: A Business Framework for the Governance and Management of Enterprise IT, ISACA, page 312: A Roadmap for Implementing and Improving IT Governance1

One of the challenges of IT governance is to balance the competing demands of maintaining the existing IT systems and services (steady state) and investing in new technologies and capabilities (modernization and enhancements) that can support the business objectives and strategies1. A common strategy to invest in modern technology is to create a new investment category for innovation that becomes a new way for tracking investment decisions2. This category can be used to allocate funds for exploring and experimenting with emerging technologies that have the potential to create value for the enterprise, such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, internet of things, mobility, and drones3. By creating a separate category for innovation, the IT steering committee can ensure that the enterprise does not fall behind in adopting new technologies, and that the IT portfolio is aligned with the changing business needs and opportunities4. References :=

The CFO and IT: Technology investment strategies | Deloitte Insights

Global Technology Governance Report 2021 | World Economic Forum

What is IT Governance and Why Your Organization Needs It Today

How CIOs Can Get IT Governance Right in an Agile World | ICF

 When prioritizing IT projects, the primary consideration for an enterprise should be the impact on the business due to expected project outcomes, because this would align the IT investments with the enterprise’s strategic objectives and value creation. The impact on the business can be assessed by using criteria such as return on investment (ROI), net present value (NPV), risk exposure, customer satisfaction, and competitive advantage12. References:= ISACA, CGEIT Review Manual, 7th Edition, 2019, page 31-32.

 From an ethical standpoint, the enterprise should communicate the breach to customers, because they have a right to know that their personal data has been compromised and may be at risk of identity theft, fraud, or other malicious activity. Even if the data breach report is not mandatory in the relevant jurisdiction, the enterprise has a moral duty to respect the privacy and dignity of its customers, and to be transparent and accountable for its actions. Communicating the breach to customers can also help to preserve the trust and reputation of the enterprise, and to mitigate the potential legal and financial consequences of the breach. According to some data ethics experts, data breaches should be treated as public health issues, and organizations should adopt a proactive and responsible approach to inform and protect their customers12. Some examples of data breach communication best practices are: notifying customers as soon as possible, providing clear and accurate information about the nature and extent of the breach, explaining what actions the enterprise is taking to remedy the situation and prevent future incidents, offering assistanceand support to affected customers, such as identity protection services or credit monitoring, and apologizing sincerely and expressing commitment to data ethics34.

References :=

Data ethics: What it means and what it takes | McKinsey

The Skeleton of a Data Breach: The Ethical and Legal Concerns

Data breaches: A public health issue? | TheHill

How to Communicate a Data Breach Effectively - IT Governance Blog

The best approach to assist an enterprise in planning for IT-enabled investments is enterprise architecture (EA). EA is a holistic and integrated view of the current and future state of the business, IT, and their alignment1. EA helps to identify and prioritize the business needs andobjectives, and to design and deliver the IT solutions that support them2. EA also helps to optimize the IT resources and processes, and to ensure that they are aligned with the business strategy and goals3. EA also helps to measure and monitor the IT performance and outcomes, and to evaluate the value and benefits of the IT investments4. EA also helps to manage the risks, costs, and complexity of the IT investments, and to ensure that they comply with the legal and regulatory requirements5.

IT process mapping, task management, and service level management are not as comprehensive or effective as EA in assisting an enterprise in planning for IT-enabled investments. IT process mapping is a visual representation of a process that shows the steps and their relationships6. It can help to understand how a process works, but it does not provide a strategic or architectural view of the business or IT. Task management is a process of managing individual or group tasks to achieve goals7. It can help to track and delegate work, but it does not address the alignment or optimization of IT with the business. Service level management is a process of defining, documenting, and agreeing on service levels within an IT service management system8. It can help to ensure that services are delivered at an agreed level, but it does not cover the design or delivery of IT solutions that meet the business needs. Therefore, EA is the best approach to assist an enterprise in planning for IT-enabled investments.

According to the CGEIT exam guide, the IT strategy committee should ensure that the IT strategic plan is aligned with the business needs and goals of the enterprise. Therefore, before initiating the development of an IT strategic plan, the committee members should be apprised of the business needs and understand the expectations and requirements of the stakeholders. References: CGEIT Exam Candidate Guide, page 13. CGEIT Certification

An IT service catalog is a comprehensive list of all of the services an IT organization offers, such as IT support, IT operations, or IT projects. It usually includes a description of the service, its features, costs, and response and delivery times, as well as a method for requesting the service12. An IT service catalog is part of the IT governance program, which is a framework that provides a formal structure for aligning IT investments and activities with business objectives and ensuring IT effectiveness and efficiency34. The primary benefit of using an IT service catalog as part of the IT governance program is that it provides a foundation for measuring IT performance. By defining and documenting the IT services and their expected outcomes, an IT service catalog enables the IT organization to establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) and service level agreements (SLAs) for each service. These metrics can help evaluate how well the IT services meet the customer needs and expectations, as well as the business goals and priorities. They can also help identify and address any gaps or issues in the IT service delivery and quality, and support continuous improvement and optimization125.

The other options are not the primary benefit of using an IT service catalog as part of the IT governance program, although they may be related or secondary benefits. Ensuring IT effectively meets future business needs, improving the ability to allocate IT resources, and establishingenterprise performance metrics per service are all desirable outcomes of using an IT service catalog, but they are not the main purpose or benefit. They are dependent or derived from the primary benefit of providing a foundation for measuring IT performance. By measuring IT performance, the IT organization can better understand the current and future business needs, allocate IT resources more efficiently and effectively, and align enterprise performance metrics with IT service outcomes125. References:

4: https://www.cio.com/article/272051/governanceit-governance-definition-and-solutions.html

2: https://www.atlassian.com/itsm/service-request-management/service-catalog

5: https://www.connectwise.com/blog/managed-services/it-service-catalog

1: https://www.servicenow.com/products/itsm/what-is-it-service-catalog.html

3: https://www.gartner.com/en/information-technology/glossary/it-governance

Outcome measures are indicators that measure the results or impacts of a strategy, program, or project on the intended beneficiaries or stakeholders1. The primary objective of building outcome measures is to monitor whether the chosen strategy is successful in achieving its goals and objectives, and to evaluate its effectiveness and efficiency2. Outcome measures can also help to communicate the value and benefits of the strategy to the relevant audiences, and to identify areas for improvement or adjustment3. Outcome measures are different from output measures, which measure the activities or products that are delivered by the strategy, but not necessarily their effects or outcomes4. References :=

Outcome Measures - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics

Outcome Measurement | The Australian Institute of Family Studies

Outcome Measurement: A Guide for Nonprofit Organizations | Imagine Canada

Doing Quantitative Research with Outcome Measures

The most important thing to ensure appropriate ownership of access controls to address the deficiency of noncompliance with privacy regulations is to grant access to information based on information architecture. Information architecture is the design and organization of information and data in a way that supports the business objectives, processes, and requirements. Information architecture can help define the ownership, classification, and protection of information assets, as well as the roles, responsibilities, and rules for accessing and managing them. By granting access to information based on information architecture, the enterprise can ensure that only authorized and legitimate users can access the information that they need, and that the information is handled in accordance with the privacy regulations and policies. According to 1, access control is an essential element of security that determines who is allowed to access certain data, apps, and resources—and in what circumstances. According to 2, a privacy management framework provides steps to meet the ongoing compliance obligations under privacy principles, such as establishing robust and effective privacy practices, procedures and systems.

The other options are not the most important things to ensure appropriate ownership of access controls to address the deficiency of noncompliance with privacy regulations. Engaging an audit of logical access controls and related security policies is a step that may be done after grantingaccess to information based on information architecture, as it involves verifying and testing the effectiveness and compliance of the access controls and policies. Implementing multi-factor authentication controls is a step that may be done after granting access to information based on information architecture, as it involves enhancing the security and verification of the user identity and credentials. Authenticating access to information assets based on roles or business rules is a step that may be done after granting access to information based on information architecture, as it involves implementing a specific type of access control mechanism that assigns permissions and restrictions based on predefined roles or business rules.

After defining the ethical standards for an ethics program, the next step for the enterprise should be to establish a training and awareness program focused on ethics. A training and awareness program can help to communicate the ethical standards to all employees and stakeholders, and educate them on the importance, benefits, and expectations of ethical behavior. A training and awareness program can also help to foster a culture of ethics within the enterprise, and encourage employees to apply the ethical standards in their daily work and decision making. According to ISACA’s article on Ethics in IT1, “training is essential to ensure that all staff understand what is expected of them and how to apply ethical principles in their work.” Furthermore, according to ISACA’s CGEIT Domain 1: Framework for the Governance of Enterprise IT2, “training and awareness are key enablers for embedding an appropriate culture throughout the enterprise.” Therefore, establishing a training and awareness program focused on ethics is the best way to implement the ethical standards defined by the enterprise.

The committee should find the information about who is responsible for the risk response in the RACI chart, as this is a tool that assigns the roles and responsibilities of the stakeholders for each task or activity in a project or process. RACI stands for Responsible, Accountable, Consulted,and Informed, which are the four types of involvement or participation that a stakeholder can have in a task or activity. A RACI chart is a matrix that shows the tasks or activities as rows and the stakeholders as columns, and indicates their roles and responsibilities using the RACI codes. A RACI chart can help clarify and communicate who is doing what, who is making decisions, who is providing input, and who is being updated in a project or process1.

A resource management plan, a risk management plan, and a risk register are also important documents for managing IT risks, but they do not provide the information about who is responsible for the risk response. A resource management plan is a document that defines how the resources, such as human, financial, physical, or technological resources, will be acquired, allocated, managed, and controlled in a project or process. A resource management plan can help ensure that the resources are available and sufficient for the risk response activities. A risk management plan is a document that defines how the risks will be identified, analyzed, evaluated, treated, monitored, and communicated in a project or process. A risk management plan can help ensure that the risks are managed effectively and efficiently according to the enterprise’s objectives and policies. A risk register is a document that records the risks that may affect the achievement of an objective or the performance of an activity, as well as their likelihood, impact, mitigation strategies, and status. A risk register can help identify and prioritize the risks that need to be addressed or monitored.

The first action taken by a newly formed IT governance committee to ensure reports are compliant with regulations and identify key IT risks should be to develop and monitor IT key risk indicator (KRI) triggers. IT KRIs are metrics that measure the likelihood and impact of IT-related risks on the enterprise’s objectives and goals. IT KRI triggers are thresholds or values that indicate when a risk is approaching or exceeding an acceptable level, requiring attention or action from the IT governance committee. Developing and monitoring IT KRI triggers can help the committee to identify, prioritize, and manage IT risks, as well as to ensure compliance with regulations and policies.

Directing the development of a reporting communication plan, training end users on regulation requirements, and implementing a mechanism to ensure reporting escalation are also important actions for the IT governance committee, but they are not the first step. A reporting communication plan is a document that defines the purpose, scope, format, frequency, audience, and distribution of IT reports, as well as the roles and responsibilities of the report creators and recipients. A reporting communication plan can help the committee to communicate effectively and efficiently with the stakeholders about IT performance, issues, and risks. Training end users on regulation requirements is a process that educates the end users on the rules and standards that apply to their use of IT systems and data, as well as the consequences of non-compliance. Training end users can help the committee to raise awareness and ensure adherence to regulations and policies. Implementing a mechanism to ensure reporting escalation is a procedure that defines the criteria, process, and channels for escalating IT reports to higher levels of authority or responsibility when necessary. Implementing a reporting escalation mechanism can help the committee to ensure timely and appropriate response and resolution of IT issues or risks.

References := Integrating KRIs and KPIs for Effective Technology Risk Management; Performance Measurement Metrics for IT Governance; State and Impact of Governance of Enterprise IT in Organizations: Key Findings of an International Study.

The best long-term solution to address the concern regarding loss of experienced staff is to implement knowledge management practices, because knowledge management is the process of creating, sharing, using, and managing the knowledge and information of an organization1. Knowledge management practices can help capture, document, and transfer the valuable knowledge and expertise of the experienced staff before they leave the organization, as well as facilitate the learning and development of the new or existing staff. Knowledge management practices can also enhance the organizational performance, innovation, and competitiveness by leveraging the intellectual capital and creating a culture of knowledge sharing2. According to a study by 3, the impact of knowledge management practices on employee retention is significant and positive in both IT and banking industries. Another study by 4 found that knowledge management practices can improve job satisfaction and employee retention by fostering a supportive work environment, providing growth opportunities, and rewarding knowledge contributions. Therefore, implementing knowledge management practices can help mitigate the risk of losing experienced staff and their knowledge in the long run.

The other options are not the best long-term solutions, because they are either short-term or partial solutions. Establishing a mentoring program for IT staff can help transfer some of the knowledge and skills of the experienced staff to the mentees, but it may not be sufficient or systematic enough to capture and preserve all the relevant knowledge. Determining key risk indicators (KRIs) can help monitor and measure the risk exposure of losing experienced staff, but it does not address the root cause or provide a solution for the problem. Retaining key staff as consultants can help retain some of the expertise and experience of the staff, but it may not be feasible or cost-effective in the long term, and it may also create dependency and vulnerability issues for the organization.

Translating business needs into IT initiatives. IT strategic planning is the process of defining how the IT function supports and enables the overall business strategy and objectives of an enterprise1. It helps to align IT with business goals, optimize IT investments and resources, manage IT risks and opportunities, and deliver value to the stakeholders1. By implementing an IT strategic planning process, an enterprise can translate its business needs into IT initiatives that are consistent, coherent, and feasible1. These IT initiatives can include projects, programs, services, systems, architectures, policies, standards, and processes that address the current and future business requirements and challenges1. Translating business needs into IT initiatives is the primary goal of implementing an IT strategic planning process, as it ensures that IT is responsive, relevant, and effective in supporting the enterprise’s mission, vision, and values1.

 The first course of action when assessing the impact of a new regulatory requirement is to map the regulation to business processes. This means identifying and analyzing which business processes are affected by the new regulation, how they are affected, and what changes are needed to comply with the regulation1. Mapping the regulation to business processes helps to understand the scope, complexity, and priority of the regulatory compliance project, and to align the IT and business objectives and strategies1. It also helps to identify the stakeholders, roles, responsibilities, and risks involved in the compliance process, and to communicate and coordinate with them effectively1. The other options are not as important as mapping the regulation to business processes, as they are dependent on the outcome of this step. Updatingaffected IT policies, assessing the budget impact of the new regulation, and implementing new regulatory requirements are subsequent steps that should be done after mapping the regulation to business processes2. References: How to Map Regulations to Business Processes. CGEIT Certification | Certified in Governance of Enterprise IT | ISACA.

An independent assessment is a review by a third party of an authorization decision, a product, a service, or a system to verify its quality, functionality, compliance, or performance. An independent assessment can help identify and mitigate potential risks, errors, or defects before they cause problems or failures. An independent assessment can also provide an objective and unbiased opinion on the suitability and effectiveness of a solution for a specific purpose or context.

By requiring an independent assessment of solutions prior to implementation, the enterprise can ensure that the solutions meet the functional requirements and specifications, as well as the security and privacy standards and policies. This can prevent issues such as the malfunctioning of role-based access control, which could compromise the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of sensitive data. An independent assessment can also help evaluate the compatibility and interoperability of solutions with existing systems and processes, and provide recommendations for improvement or optimization.

Some examples of independent assessment methods are:

Independent verification and validation (IV&V): A process that checks whether a system meets its defined requirements and specifications, and whether it fulfills its intended purpose and functions.

Independent technical review (ITR): A process that evaluates the technical aspects of a system, such as its design, architecture, performance, reliability, security, usability, maintainability, and scalability.

Independent security assessment (ISA): A process that assesses the security posture of a system, such as its vulnerability to threats, its compliance with security standards and regulations, its implementation of security controls and measures, and its response to security incidents.

The most important input for the development of a human resources strategy to address IT skill gaps is the technology direction of the enterprise, because this would help to identify the current and future IT capabilities and competencies that are required to support the enterprise’s vision, mission, goals, and objectives. The technology direction of the enterprise should consider the external and internal factors that influence the IT environment, such as market trends, customer demands, innovation opportunities, regulatory requirements, and business strategies12. The human resources strategy should align the IT staff development and retention plans with the technology direction of the enterprise, and ensure that the IT staff have the relevant skills, knowledge, and experience to deliver value and performance to the enterprise12. References := ISACA, CGEIT Review Manual, 7th Edition, 2019, page 25-26.

 The best way for the CIO to ensure that the IT objectives are delivered effectively by IT staff is to include the IT objectives in staff performance plans. Staff performance plans are documents that define the expectations, responsibilities, and goals for individual employees, as well as the criteria and methods for evaluating their performance1. By including the IT objectives in staff performance plans, the CIO can align the IT staff’s work with the business objectives, communicate the desired outcomes and behaviors, motivate and empower the IT staff, monitor and measure their progress and achievements, and provide feedback and recognition1. This will help to create a culture of accountability, excellence, and continuous improvement among the IT staff, and ensure that they contribute to the value creation and delivery of IT2. References: Performance Management. What is CGEIT? A certification for seasoned IT governance professionals.

The IT strategy is the document that defines how IT will be used to support and achieve the business objectives of the organization. It aligns the IT investments, resources, and activities with the business priorities and direction. When there is a change in the business objectives, such as a re-prioritization by management, the IT strategy should be updated accordingly to ensure that IT remains relevant and aligned with the new business goals. Updating the IT strategy should be done first before allocating resources to IT processes, because it provides the basis for determining which IT processes are most critical and valuable for the organization. The other options are not the best actions to perform first in this scenario. Performing a maturity assessment, implementing a RACI model, and refining the human resource management plan are all useful activities for improving the IT processes, but they are not directly related to the change in business objectives. They should be done after updating the IT strategy, based on the new strategic direction and priorities. References:

1: https://www.projectpractical.com/human-resource-management-plan-template-free-download/

2: https://open.lib.umn.edu/humanresourcemanagement/chapter/2-2-writing-the-hrm-plan/

3: https://www.isixsigma.com/getting-started/are-you-ready-how-conduct-maturity-assessment/

4: https://www.smartsheet.com/content/organizational-maturity

5: https://www.process.st/maturity-model/

 A risk and benefit evaluation is a method of weighing the pros and cons of an action or decision, such as modifying the enterprise information security policy to allow the use of personal equipment for work-related purposes. A risk and benefit evaluation can help identify the potential risks and benefits of such a change, assess their likelihood and impact, and compare them with the current situation or alternative options1. A risk and benefit evaluation can provide a systematic and objective basis for making a decision that balances the needs and interests of different stakeholders, such as IT security, employees, and the organization2. The other options are not the best basis for making a decision on whether to modify the enterprise information security policy. Audit findings are reports that evaluate the compliance and effectiveness of an existing policy or process, but they do not necessarily address the potential risks and benefits of changing it3. User access approval procedures are steps that authorize or deny users to access certain resources or systems, but they do not reflect the overall impact of using personal equipment for work-related purposes4. The impact to security is an important factor to consider, but it is not the only one. There may be other benefits or risks that need to be taken into account, such as productivity, cost, user satisfaction, etc.5 References:

5: https://www.osha.gov/personal-protective-equipment

4: https://www.ato.gov.au/Individuals/Income-deductions-offsets-and-records/Deductions-you-can-claim/Tools-computers-and-items-you-use-for-work/Tools-and-equipment-to-perform-your-work/

3: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/presentation/presentation-periodic-safety-update-report-procedure-concept-benefit-risk-evaluation-r-postigo_en.pdf

2: https://safetyculture.com/topics/risk-analysis/

1: https://pestleanalysis.com/risk-benefit-analysis/

Business ethics is the study of appropriate business policies and practices regarding potentially controversial subjects, such as corporate governance, insider trading, bribery, discrimination, corporate social responsibility, fiduciary responsibilities, and much more1. The most important aspect of business ethics is to protect the interests of the stakeholders, who are the individuals or groups that have a stake in the success or failure of a business. Stakeholders include shareholders, customers, employees, suppliers, regulators, and the society at large. By protecting stakeholders’ interests, a business can ensure its long-term viability, reputation, and profitability. References: CGEIT Review Manual (Digital Version) or CGEIT Review Manual (Print Version), Chapter 1: Governance of Enterprise IT, Section 1.1: IT Governance Frameworks and Principles, Subsection 1.1.2: IT Governance Principles, Page 14-15. Business Ethics: Definition, Principles, Why They’re Important.

Qualitative analysis is a method that uses subjective judgments and opinions to assess plausible risk scenarios that could result in reputational risk to the enterprise. Qualitative analysis can help identify the sources, causes, and impacts of reputational risk, as well as the likelihood and severity of such risk. Qualitative analysis can also involve stakeholder feedback, surveys, interviews, focus groups, and expert opinions to evaluate the reputation of the enterprise and its IT functions.

The other options are not the most likely methods to assess plausible risk scenarios that could result in reputational risk to the enterprise. Controls gap analysis is a method that compares the existing controls with the required controls to identify any deficiencies or weaknesses that could expose the enterprise to risk. Controls gap analysis can help improve the effectiveness and efficiency of IT processes and services, but it does not directly assess the reputational risk scenarios. Quantitative analysis is a method that uses numerical data and mathematical models to measure and evaluate risk scenarios. Quantitative analysis can help estimate the financial impact and probability of risk events, but it may not capture the intangible and subjective aspects of reputational risk. SWOT analysis is a method that evaluates the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of an organization or a project. SWOT analysis can help identify the internal and external factors that affect the performance and success of the organization or the project, but it does not specifically assess the reputational risk scenarios.

For more information on qualitative analysis and reputational risk, you can refer to these web sources:

Qualitative Risk Analysis: What it is and how to implement it

Reputational Risk Management: A Framework for Measurement

Reputational Risk Management in IT Outsourcing: A Case Study

The CIO is the chief information officer of an enterprise, who oversees and optimizes the use of information technology (IT) to achieve the business objectives and strategy. One of the primary responsibilities of the CIO is to ensure that IT architecture requirements are considered when an enterprise plans to replace its enterprise resource applications (ERAs). ERAs are integrated software systems that support various business functions, such as finance, accounting, human resources, supply chain, etc. IT architecture requirements are the specifications and standards that define how the IT systems and platforms should be designed, developed, deployed, and maintained to support the ERAs and their users. IT architecture requirements include aspects such as performance, scalability, security, reliability, interoperability, usability, etc. The CIO should ensure that IT architecture requirements are considered when an enterprise plans to replace its ERAs, because they can affect the quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of the ERAs and their alignment with the business needs and goals. The CIO should also ensure that the IT architecture requirements are consistent with the enterprise’s IT strategy and vision, and that they comply with the relevant policies, regulations, and best practices.

Data loss prevention (DLP) is a set of tools and processes that aim to prevent the unauthorized disclosure, misuse, or theft of sensitive data. DLP can help to minimize the potential mishandling of customer personal information in a system located in a country with strict privacy regulations by detecting and blocking any attempts to access, copy, or transfer the data without proper authorization or consent. References := CGEIT Review Manual, Chapter 4: Risk Optimization, Section 4.2: IT Risk Management Processes, Subsection 4.2.3: Risk Response, Page 155.

Information owners are responsible for defining the quality criteria for information within their domain, based on business requirements and stakeholder expectations. Information owners are also accountable for ensuring that information quality is maintained and improved. References := COBIT 5: Enabling Information, chapter 4, section 4.2.1

 According to the CGEIT exam guide, a root cause analysis (RCA) is a systematic process of identifying and analyzing the factors that cause an undesirable event or condition. It helps to determine the underlying causes of problems and issues, and to prevent their recurrence. A root cause analysis is the best way to enable the CIO to build a corrective action plan, as it provides a clear understanding of the reasons why IT service levels consistently fall below those outlined in the SLA, and suggests possible solutions and improvements. The other options are not sufficient to build a corrective action plan, as they do not address the root causes of the SLA failure. References: CGEIT Exam Candidate Guide, page 15. CGEIT Certification, Root Cause Analysis

This should be the first step to ensure that information can be traced to the originating event and accountable parties, as it helps to establish the authenticity, integrity, and reliability of the information. Source information and supporting evidence are the data and documents that provide the context, details, and proof of an information event, such as who, what, when, where, why, and how1. By capturing source information and supporting evidence, an enterprise can link the information to its source and originator, verify its accuracy and completeness, and identify its owner and custodian1. Capturing source information and supporting evidence can also help to comply with the legal and regulatory requirements for information traceability, such as data protection, privacy, audit, and e-discovery2. Capturing source information and supporting evidence is a prerequisite for the other options, such as improving business process controls, reviewing information event logs for potential incidents, and reviewing retention requirements for source information, as these activities depend on the availability and quality of the source information and supporting evidence.

 According to the CGEIT exam guide, the IT resource management plan is a document that describes how the IT resources of an enterprise will be acquired, allocated, monitored and optimized to support the IT strategy, objectives and goals. The IT resource management plan should also address the human resource aspects of IT, such as recruitment, retention, development, motivation and performance of IT personnel. Therefore, the best governance action to address the concern of high turnover of skilled IT personnel is to update the IT resource management plan to reflect the current and future needs and challenges of the IT department. The updated IT resource management plan should include strategies and actions to reduce the turnover rate, such as improving the IT work environment and culture, offering competitive compensation and benefits packages, providing career development and training opportunities, enhancing employee engagement and recognition, and implementing knowledge management and succession planning practices. References: CGEIT Exam Candidate Guide, page 14. CGEIT Certification, IT Resource Management, Employee Turnover Rate: Definition & Calculation

The impact of information exposure is the most important factor for an enterprise to review when classifying information assets, because it helps to determine the level of sensitivity and protection that the information assets require. Information assets are classified according to their confidentiality, integrity, and availability, which reflect the potential harm or loss that could result from unauthorized disclosure, modification, or destruction of the information assets. The impact of information exposure can be assessed in terms of financial, reputational, legal, operational, or strategic consequences for the enterprise and its stakeholders. The impact of information exposure can also vary depending on the context, scope, and duration of the exposure. Therefore, by reviewing the impact of information exposure, an enterprise can assign appropriate labels and controls to its information assets, and ensure that they are handled and stored securely and appropriately. References := Information classification according to ISO27001, Information Asset and Security Classification Procedure, Information Classification Standard.

Risk appetite is the amount and type of risk that an organization is willing to accept in pursuit of its objectives. Risk appetite of the enterprise should be the primary consideration when developing a risk management policy for a portfolio of IT-enabled investments, because it helps to align the risk management strategy with the business strategy and goals. Risk appetite also helps to define the risk tolerance and thresholds for each investment, and to prioritize and allocate resources accordingly. Risk appetite also helps to communicate the expectations and responsibilities of the stakeholders involved in the risk management process, and to foster a risk-aware culture within the organization. References := CGEIT Review Manual, Chapter 4: Risk Optimization, Section 4.1: IT Risk Management Strategy, Subsection 4.1.1: Establishing IT Risk Appetite, Page 139.

 Management transparency is the most important driver of IT governance, because it enables the alignment of IT and business goals, the accountability of IT performance and value, the communication and collaboration among stakeholders, and the compliance with laws and regulations. Management transparency refers to the degree to which information about IT decisions, processes, outcomes, and risks is shared openly and honestly with relevant parties, such as the board of directors, senior management, business units, IT staff, customers, and regulators. Management transparency can help to build trust, confidence, and support for IT initiatives, as well as to identify and address any issues or gaps in IT governance12. References: What is IT governance? A formal way to align IT & business strategy. Definition of IT Governance (ITG) - IT Glossary | Gartner.

 Key risk indicators (KRIs) are metrics that predict potential risks that can negatively impact businesses. They provide a way to quantify and monitor each risk. Think of them as change-related metrics that act as an early warning risk detection system to help companies effectively monitor, manage and mitigate risks1. By monitoring KRIs, the board of directors can ensure the enterprise is responsive to changes in its environment that would directly impact critical business processes, such as market fluctuations, customer preferences, regulatory compliance, operational efficiency, or cyber threats. Monitoring KRIs can help the board of directors to identify and assess the current and emerging risks, to evaluate the effectiveness and performance of the risk management strategies and controls, to communicate and report the risk status and issues, and to take timely and appropriate actions to prevent or reduce the impact of the risks234. References: How to Develop Key Risk Indicators (KRIs) to Fortify Your Business. ThePower of KRIs in Enterprise Risk Management (ERM). KRI (Key Risk Indicator): Understanding KRI and why is it important?. Key Risk Indicators (KRIs).

The next step for the IT organization when they receive news that the branches in a country where the impact to the enterprise is to be greatest are being sold is to adjust the ERP implementation plan and budget. This means that the IT organization should assess the implications of the sale on the ERP transformation objectives, scope, timeline, resources, costs, and risks. The IT organization should also communicate with the relevant stakeholders, such as the business units, the vendors, and the buyers, to coordinate and align the ERP activities with the sale process. The IT organization should then revise the ERP implementation plan and budget to reflect the changes and ensure that the ERP transformation delivers value to the remaining enterprise

 A business risk profile is a document that identifies and evaluates the potential risks that can affect the performance, objectives, and strategy of an organization. A business risk profile can help to prioritize and mitigate the risks, as well as to align the risk management activities with the business goals and needs12.

If an enterprise has made the strategic decision to reduce operating costs for the next year and is taking advantage of cost reductions offered by an external cloud service provider, the IT steering committee’s primary concern should be updating the business risk profile. This is because using an external cloud service provider may introduce new or increased risks for the enterprise, such as security, privacy, compliance, availability, performance, or vendor lock-in risks3 . Updating the business risk profile can help the IT steering committee to assess the impact and likelihood of these risks, to evaluate the effectiveness and adequacy of the existing controls and safeguards, to identify and implement any additional measures or actions to address the gaps or issues, and to monitor and report the risk status and outcomes12. References: Business Risk Profile: Definition & Examples. How to Create a Business Risk Profile. A risk assessment model for selecting cloud service providers. Cloud Computing Security for Cloud Service Providers.

A business impact analysis (BIA) report is the most valuable input when quantifying the loss associated with a major risk event. A BIA report is a document that identifies and evaluates thepotential effects of disruptions to critical business functions and processes. A BIA report can help estimate the financial, operational, reputational, and legal impacts of a risk event, as well as the recovery time and resources needed to resume normal operations. A BIA report can also help prioritize the recovery strategies and objectives based on the criticality and urgency of the business functions and processes.

The other options are not the most valuable input when quantifying the loss associated with a major risk event. Key risk indicators (KRIs) are metrics that provide an early warning of potential threats to the organization’s objectives and performance. KRIs can help monitor and measure the risk exposure and effectiveness of risk management activities, but they do not directly quantify the loss associated with a risk event. IT environment threat modeling is a technique that identifies and analyzes the possible vulnerabilities and attack vectors in an IT system or network. Threat modeling can help improve the security and resilience of IT assets and services, but it does not directly quantify the loss associated with a risk event. Recovery time objectives (RTOs) are the maximum acceptable time frames for restoring business functions and processes after a disruption. RTOs can help determine the recovery priorities and strategies, but they do not directly quantify the loss associated with a risk event.

For more information on BIA and quantifying loss, you can refer to these web sources:

What is Business Impact Analysis? Definition, Benefits & Examples

Quantifying Loss Associated with Major Risk Event - Exam-Answer

Quantifying the Qualitative Technology Risk Assessment - ISACA

The best way to determine if staff competency is the root cause of the performance problems is to compare the required staff competencies with the current skills inventory of the service center staff. This will help identify any gaps or mismatches between what is expected and what is available in terms of skills and knowledge. References: CGEIT Review Manual, 7th Edition, page 113.

 Transparency is primarily achieved through performance measurement, as it involves providing clear, accurate, and timely information about the performance of IT processes, services, and projects to the relevant stakeholders. Performance measurement can help to increase the visibility, accountability, and trustworthiness of IT activities and outcomes, and to enable informed decision-making and feedback. The other options are not as primary, as they are more related to the results or consequences of performance measurement, rather than the purpose orintention of it. References: : CGEIT Review Manual (Digital Version), Chapter 3: Benefits Realization, Section 3.3: Performance Measurement and Reporting, Subsection 3.3.1: Performance Measurement and Reporting Overview, Page 112 : CGEIT Review Manual (Digital Version), Chapter 3: Benefits Realization, Section 3.3: Performance Measurement and Reporting, Subsection 3.3.2: Performance Measurement and Reporting Process, Page 113 : Performance Measurement Metrics for IT Governance1

 According to the CGEIT certification guide, the business sponsor is primarily accountable for delivering the benefits of an IT-enabled investment program to the enterprise. The business sponsor is the person who has the authority and responsibility to initiate, influence and approve the business objectives and requirements of the program. The business sponsor also ensures that the program aligns with the enterprise strategy and delivers value to the enterprise1. The program manager, the IT steering committee chair and the CIO are responsible for supporting the business sponsor in delivering the benefits, but they are not primarily accountable for them2. References :=

CGEIT certification guide, domain 4: Benefits Realization, section 4.1: Benefits Governance, page 137.

CGEIT certification guide, domain 4: Benefits Realization, section 4.2: Benefits Delivery Life Cycle, page 140.

Enterprise architecture (EA) is a discipline that defines and organizes the components, relationships, principles, and standards of an organization’s IT environment. EA can help to align IT with business strategy and objectives, optimize IT performance and value, and manage IT complexity and change12.

One of the benefits of EA is that it can help to address the concern of duplicate IT applications and services across an enterprise. EA can help to identify and eliminate the redundancies, inconsistencies, and inefficiencies in the IT landscape, by providing a holistic and integrated view of the current and future state of IT. EA can also help to rationalize and consolidate the IT applications and services, by establishing a common framework, taxonomy, and governance for IT decision making. EA can also help to improve the integration and interoperability of IT applications and services, by defining the interfaces, protocols, and standards for data exchange123.

Some examples of how EA can help to address the concern of duplicate IT applications and services are:

EA can help to conduct an inventory and assessment of the existing IT applications and services, to determine their purpose, scope, functionality, quality, cost, and value. EA can also help to compare and contrast the IT applications and services across different business units, to identify the overlaps, gaps, or conflicts among them4.

EA can help to define and prioritize the business needs and requirements for IT applications and services, to ensure that they support the business goals and processes. EA can also help to evaluate and select the best IT solutions for each business need, based on criteria such as feasibility, suitability, scalability, security, compliance, etc5.

EA can help to design and implement a target IT architecture that eliminates or minimizes the duplicate IT applications and services, by using approaches such as application portfolio management (APM), service-oriented architecture (SOA), or cloud computing. EA can also help to plan and execute a migration strategy that ensures a smooth transition from the current to the target state .

EA can help to monitor and control the IT applications and services, by using metrics, indicators, and reports to measure their performance, availability, reliability, quality, and value. EA can also help to review and update the IT applications and services regularly, by using feedback mechanisms and continuous improvement practices .

 Assigning individuals responsibilities and accountabilities for management of risks is the most effective way to manage risks within the enterprise, as it ensures that the risk owners and stakeholders are clearly identified, involved, and accountable for the risk management activities and outcomes. Assigning responsibilities and accountabilities also helps to establish roles and expectations, delegate authority, and monitor performance and compliance12. References := CGEIT Exam Content Outline, Domain 4, Subtopic B: IT Risk Management, Task 2: Ensure that appropriate senior level management sponsorship for IT risk management exists.

 Portfolio management is the process of selecting, prioritizing, and managing a collection of projects, programs, and initiatives that align with the strategic goals and objectives of an organization. Portfolio management can help to ensure that the IT initiatives meet their goals, by providing a holistic and integrated view of the IT investments, resources, and outcomes. Portfolio management can also help to optimize the value and benefits of the IT initiatives, by balancing the risks, costs, and dependencies among them. Portfolio management can also help to monitor and control the performance and progress of the IT initiatives, by using metrics, indicators, and reports123. References: What is Portfolio Management? Definition & Examples. A Guide to IT Portfolio Management | Adobe Workfront. IT Portfolio Management: Importance, How-To Steps and Tips.

The most successful IT performance metrics are those that contain objective measures that can be quantified and verified. Objective measures are more reliable, consistent, and repeatable than subjective measures, which may vary depending on the perspective or opinion of the stakeholders. Objective measures also help to align IT performance goals with business goals and to communicate the value of IT to the rest of the organization. According to one source1, a good metric is linear, reliable, repeatable, easy to use, consistent and independent. References := ISACA, CGEIT Review Manual, 27th Edition, 2020, page 11; Performance Measurement Metrics for IT Governance

Risk appetite is the greatest concern from a governance perspective when two large financial institutions with different corporate cultures are engaged in a merger, because it reflects the amount and type of risk that the organizations are willing to pursue, retain, or take in order to achieve their strategic objectives. Risk appetite is influenced by various factors, such as organizational culture, values, beliefs, and behaviors, as well as external factors, such as market conditions, regulations, and stakeholder expectations. Therefore, if the two merging organizations have different risk appetites, this may create challenges and conflicts in aligning their strategies, policies, processes, and systems. It may also affect their performance, compliance, reputation, and value creation. Therefore, it is important to assess and harmonize the risk appetites of the two organizations and ensure that they are consistent with their merged vision, goals, and needs. References := Good Governance Institute Board guidance on riskappetite, Risk Appetite: A Conversation of Governance, Organisations must define their IT risk appetite and tolerance

 Quality management is the most important aspect of an IT governance framework to ensure that IT supports repeatable business processes, as it involves defining, implementing, and monitoring quality standards, policies, and procedures for IT products and services. Quality management also ensures that IT processes are aligned with the enterprise requirements, objectives, and expectations, and that they deliver consistent and reliable outcomes12. References := CGEIT Exam Content Outline, Domain 1, Subtopic C: Technology Governance, Task 2: Ensure that IT processes are defined, implemented, monitored and continually improved in alignment with the enterprise governance framework.

The board of directors is ultimately responsible for the governance of IT and ensuring that IT supports the enterprise’s objectives and strategy. The board of directors should also oversee the implementation and monitoring of IT governance controls to ensure compliance with laws and regulations. References: ISACA, CGEIT Review Manual, 7th Edition, 2019, page 17.

The best key risk indicator (KRI) to show progress in IT employee behavior regarding application security issues is the results of application security awareness training quizzes. This KRI measures the level of knowledge and understanding that IT employees have acquired from the security training sessions, and how well they can apply it to their work. This KRI can also help to identify the gaps and weaknesses in the training content and delivery, and suggest areas for improvement. A high score on the quizzes indicates a high level of IT employee risk awareness and a low likelihood of creating serious security issues in application design and configuration

 Business data owners were not consulted is the answer that presents the greatest risk, as it implies that the information security function did not consider the needs, expectations, and requirements of the stakeholders who are responsible for the data. Business data owners should be involved in the development and implementation of data retention and backup policies, as they can provide input on the value, sensitivity, and classification of the data, as well as the legal and regulatory obligations for data preservation and protection12. Without consulting the business data owners, the information security function may create policies that are inconsistent, ineffective, or detrimental to the enterprise’s objectives and operations.

 Integrating IT resource planning into enterprise strategic planning enables the enterprise to allocate resources efficiently to achieve desired goals, as it ensures that IT resources are aligned with the enterprise vision, mission, and objectives. IT resource planning also helps to identify and prioritize the IT needs and demands of the enterprise, and to allocate the appropriate resources (such as people, processes, technology, and information) to meet them123. References := CGEIT Exam Content Outline, Domain 2, Subtopic A: IT Resource Planning, Task 1: Ensure that IT resource planning is aligned with the enterprise strategic planning process.

 Process owners are responsible for ensuring the regular review of quality management performance against defined quality metrics, as they are accountable for the design, implementation and improvement of the processes they own. Risk management team, internal auditors and executive management have other roles and responsibilities in relation to quality management, such as providing assurance, oversight and direction. References: : CGEIT Review Manual (Digital Version), Chapter 3: Benefits Realization, Section 3.2: IT Investment Management, Subsection 3.2.4: IT Investment Management Process, Page 104 : CGEIT Review Manual (Digital Version), Chapter 3: Benefits Realization, Section 3.4: Quality Management, Subsection 3.4.1: Quality Management Overview, Page 120

The first course of action for the CIO of an enterprise to help plan for the possibility of ransomed corporate data should be to request a targeted risk assessment. This is because a targeted risk assessment can help to identify and evaluate the specific threats, vulnerabilities, and impacts of ransomware attacks on the enterprise’s data and systems. A targeted risk assessment can also help to determine the likelihood and severity of ransomware incidents, as well as the appropriate controls and mitigation strategies to reduce the risk to an acceptable level.

Requiring development of key risk indicators (KRIs) is not the first course of action, as it is a monitoring tool for measuring the risk exposure and performance. KRIs are metrics that provide information on the current level and trend of risk in relation to the risk appetite and tolerance of the enterprise. KRIs can help to track and report the progress and effectiveness of the risk management activities, as well as alert the management of any potential issues or changes that may affect the risk profile. However, requiring development of KRIs does not provide a comprehensive analysis or improvement plan for ransomed corporate data.

Developing a policy to address ransomware is not the first course of action, as it is a result of conducting a targeted risk assessment. A policy to address ransomware is a document that defines the rules, guidelines, and responsibilities for preventing, detecting, responding to, and recovering from ransomware attacks. Developing a policy to address ransomware can help to communicate the expectations and requirements for ransomware protection and compliance, as well as enforce accountability and governance for ransomware incidents. However, developing a policy to address ransomware does not provide a detailed assessment or guidance for ransomed corporate data.

Backing up corporate data to a secure location is not the first course of action, as it is an implementation step after conducting a targeted risk assessment and developing a policy to address ransomware. Backing up corporate data to a secure location can help to preserve the availability, integrity, and confidentiality of the data in case of a ransomware attack. Backing up corporate data to a secure location can also help to restore the data and resume normal operations after a ransomware attack. However, backing up corporate data to a secure location does not provide a thorough risk analysis or governance framework for ransomed corporate data.

References := Ransomware Risk Management: NISTIR 8374, 3 Risk Management Process section. Managing the Risks of Ransomware - SEI Blog, Assess Your Risk section. Ransomware Risk Management - NIST, 4 Ransomware Risk Management Profile section. NIST Releases Tips and Tactics for Dealing With Ransomware, Back Up Your Data section.

According to the CGEIT certification guide, the balanced scorecard is the most effective means for IT management to report to executive management regarding the value of IT. The balanced scorecard is a strategic management tool that translates the vision and strategy of an organization into a comprehensive set of performance measures that provide the framework for a strategic measurement and management system1. The balanced scorecard enables IT management to communicate the value of IT in terms of four perspectives: financial, customer, internal business process, and learning and growth2. The balanced scorecard helps IT management to align IT objectives with business objectives, monitor and improve IT performance, and demonstrate IT contribution to business value3.

The other options are less effective than option D, as they do not provide a comprehensive and balanced view of the value of IT. IT process maturity level is a measure of how well-defined, managed, measured, and optimized an IT process is4. While it can indicate the quality and efficiency of IT processes, it does not directly link them to business outcomes or value. Cost-benefit analysis is a technique that compares the costs and benefits of an IT project or investment. While it can show the financial return of IT initiatives, it does not capture the non-financial aspects of IT value, such as customer satisfaction, innovation, or learning. Resource assessment is a process that evaluates the availability and utilization of IT resources, such as people, technology, or information. While it can show the capacity and capability of IT resources, it does not measure how they support the business strategy or goals.

References :=

CGEIT certification guide, domain 4: Benefits Realization, section 4.3: Value Governance, page 147.

CGEIT certification guide, domain 4: Benefits Realization, section 4.4: Performance Measurement and Reporting, page 150.

Balanced Scorecard - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics

IT Process Maturity - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics

[Cost-Benefit Analysis - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics]

[Resource Assessment - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics]

The most important reason for selecting IT key risk indicators (KRIs) is to increase the probability of achieving IT goals. IT KRIs are metrics that show the level of exposure or likelihood of occurrence of IT-related risks that may affect the achievement of IT objectives. By selecting and monitoring IT KRIs, the organization can identify and manage the potential threats and opportunities that may impact the IT performance and value. IT KRIs can also help to trigger corrective or preventive actions, communicate risk information, and support decision-making and improvement processes

 The most important factor for the effective design of an IT balanced scorecard is identifying appropriate key performance indicators (KPIs). KPIs are the measures that reflect the critical success factors of the IT strategy and goals, and that help to monitor and evaluate the IT performance and value. KPIs should be aligned with the four perspectives of the balanced scorecard: financial, customer, internal process, and learning and growth. KPIs should also be SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. By choosing the right KPIs, the IT balanced scorecard can provide a comprehensive and balanced view of the IT contribution to the business, and support the decision-making and improvement processes

The most important consideration when defining an information architecture is access to and exchange of information. Information architecture (IA) is the process of guiding users through the site by organising and arranging all the relevant content in a clear, intuitive way1. The main purpose of IA is to help users find information and complete tasks2. To do this, IA needs to consider how users access and exchange information within the digital product or service, and how to make it easy, fast, and satisfying for them. Access to and exchange of information involves aspects such as:

Navigation systems: How users browse or move through information2. Navigation systems should be consistent, predictable, and visible, and should provide feedback and orientation cues to the users3.

Search systems: How users look for information2. Search systems should be accurate, relevant, and comprehensive, and should support different types of queries and filters4.

Labelling systems: How information is represented and classified2. Labelling systems should use clear, concise, and meaningful words that match the users’ expectations and vocabulary.

Information structure: How information is organised into categories, hierarchies, and relationships2. Information structure should reflect the users’ mental models and tasks, and should avoid unnecessary complexity or ambiguity.

By considering access to and exchange of information when defining an IA, the organization can ensure that the information assets are usable, findable, and accessible to the users, and that they support the user experience and the business goals. References: Information Architecture Basics | Usability.gov1, What is information architecture? - UX Design Institute2, Navigation Design Basics: Tips & Best Practices - Adobe XD Ideas3, Search System Design: Best Practices & Tips- Adobe XD Ideas4, Labeling Systems: An Introduction to Information Architecture - Boxes …, Information Architecture 101: Techniques and Best Practices - Adobe …

The aspect of the transition from X-rays to digital images that would be best addressed by implementing information security policy and procedures is protecting personal health information. This is because personal health information is a type of sensitive data that contains confidential and private information about patients, such as their medical history, diagnosis, treatment, and identity. Personal health information is subject to various legal and ethical obligations and regulations, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in the US1, that require its protection from unauthorized access, disclosure, modification, or destruction. Information security policy and procedures can help to define the rules, guidelines, and responsibilities for ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of personal health information in digital form.

Establishing data retention procedures is not the best answer, as it is only one component of information security policy and procedures. Data retention procedures specify how long and where digital images should be stored, archived, or deleted, based on the business, legal, and regulatory requirements. Data retention procedures can help to optimize the storage capacity, performance, and cost of digital images, as well as comply with the applicable laws and regulations. However, data retention procedures do not address the full scope of information security policy and procedures.

Training technicians on acceptable use policy is not the best answer, as it is only one aspect of information security policy and procedures. Acceptable use policy defines what are the permitted and prohibited behaviors and actions for using digital images and related IT resources. Training technicians on acceptable use policy can help to educate them on the security risks and best practices for handling digital images, as well as enforce compliance and accountability. However, training technicians on acceptable use policy does not cover the entire range of information security policy and procedures.

Minimizing the impact of hospital operation disruptions on patient care is not the best answer, as it is a business continuity objective rather than an information security objective. Business continuity refers to the ability of an organization to maintain or resume its critical functions and processes in the event of a disruption or disaster. Minimizing the impact of hospital operation disruptions on patient care can help to ensure the safety, quality, and efficiency of health services delivery. However, minimizing the impact of hospital operation disruptions on patient care is not directly related to information security policy and procedures.

References := HIPAA Privacy Rule | HHS.gov, Introduction section. Information Security Policy: Definition & Examples - NetApp, What Is an Information Security Policy? section. Data Retention Policy: Definition & Best Practices - NetApp, What Is a Data Retention Policy? section. Acceptable Use Policy: Definition & Best Practices - NetApp, What Is an Acceptable Use Policy? section. [Business Continuity Management: Definition & Best Practices - NetApp], What Is Business Continuity Management? section.

 According to the CGEIT certification guide, the most effective approach to ensure senior management sponsorship of IT risk management is to integrate IT risk into enterprise risk management (ERM). This is because ERM is a holistic and strategic approach that considers all types of risks that may affect the achievement of the enterprise’s objectives. By integrating IT risk into ERM, senior management can better understand the impact and interdependencies of IT risks on the enterprise’s performance and value, and can provide more effective oversight and guidance to the IT risk management processes1. The other options are less effective than option D, as they do not address the alignment and integration of IT risk with the enterprise’s strategy and objectives. References:= CGEIT certification guide, domain 3: Risk Optimization, section 3.1: Risk Governance, page 86.

The role that has primary accountability for the security related to data assets is the data owner. A data owner is a person who is generally in a senior company position, responsible for the categorization, protection, usage, and quality of one or more data sets1. The data owner must ensure that the information within their domain is correctly maintained across various platforms and business processes, and that it is secured from unauthorized access and misuse2. The data owner also has the authority to grant or revoke access rights to the data, and to define and enforce data security policies and standards3. Therefore, the data owner is the primary accountable role for the security related to data assets. References: Data Owners vs. Data Stewards vs. Data Custodians - CPO Magazine2, CISSP domain 2: Asset security - Infosec Resources

 The main governance focus when implementing a newly approved BYOD policy is to educate employees on the increased IT security risk to the enterprise. BYOD introduces various challenges and threats to the enterprise’s data and network security, such as device loss or theft, unauthorized access, malware infection, data leakage, and compliance violations. Therefore, it is essential to raise the awareness and understanding of employees on the potential risks and their responsibilities in protecting the enterprise’s assets and information. Educating employees on the IT security risk can also help to foster a culture of security and compliance, and to promote best practices for BYOD usage, such as following the acceptable use policy, installing security software, and reporting incidents. References := The Ultimate Guide to BYOD Security: Definition & More - Digital Guardian; Enterprise mobility and security: How to build a BYOD policy; Bring Your Own Device for Executives | Cyber.gov.au

 An information steward is a person who is responsible for ensuring the quality, accuracy, consistency, and usability of the data in an organization. An information steward works with the business users and stakeholders to understand their data needs, requirements, and expectations, and to define and implement the data policies, standards, and rules that govern the data lifecycle. An information steward also monitors and reports on the data quality issues and trends, and initiates and coordinates the data improvement actions and projects12.

From a governance perspective, the role of an information steward is most important for an enterprise to keep in-house, because it requires a close alignment with the business function, adeep knowledge of the data sources and systems, and a high level of trust and accountability. An information steward is the guardian of the business data, which is a valuable asset and a competitive advantage for any organization. Outsourcing the role of an information steward may pose significant risks to the data security, privacy, quality, and compliance12.

An information auditor is a person who performs independent and objective assessments of the data quality, integrity, and compliance in an organization. An information auditor evaluates the data governance policies, standards, and processes, as well as the data controls and safeguards. An information auditor also provides recommendations for improving the data management practices and mitigating the data risks3. An information auditor can be outsourced to provide an external and unbiased perspective on the data governance performance and issues.

An information architect is a person who designs and maintains the data structures, models, and standards in an organization. An information architect ensures that the data is organized, integrated, accessible, and consistent across different systems and platforms. An information architect also supports the data analysis, reporting, and visualization needs of the organization4. An information architect can be outsourced to leverage the expertise and experience of external consultants or vendors.

An information analyst is a person who collects, processes, analyzes, and interprets the data in an organization. An information analyst uses various tools and techniques to extract insights and value from the data. An information analyst also communicates and presents the data findings and recommendations to support decision making and problem solving in the organization. An information analyst can be outsourced to access specialized skills or technologies that may not be available in-house. References: What is Information Audit? Definition & Process. What is Information Architecture? Definition & Examples. What is an Information Steward? Definition & Role. 6 Key Responsibilities of the Invaluable Data Steward - Dun & Bradstreet. [What is an Information Analyst? Definition & Skills].

 A balanced scorecard is the most comprehensive method to report on overall IT performance to the board of directors, as it provides a holistic view of the IT value proposition, covering four perspectives: financial, customer, internal process, and learning and growth. A balanced scorecard helps to align IT goals and objectives with the enterprise strategy, measure and monitor IT performance, and communicate IT value to the board and other stakeholders123. References := CGEIT Exam Content Outline, Domain 3, Subtopic B:Performance Measurement and Optimization, Task 1: Establish and monitor IT performance measurement systems to evaluate the extent to which IT delivers on its strategic objectives and desired outcomes.