CISA - Certified Information Systems Auditor Practice Questions: Governance and Management of IT Domain

Correct Answer: A

Explanation: The first step in assessing the effectiveness of a new IT governance framework is to review the IT governance policies and procedures documentation. This provides a foundational understanding of how the framework is intended to function and its alignment with business objectives. While interviews (B), project alignment (C), and performance metrics (D) are important, they are subsequent steps that depend on the initial understanding gained from the documentation.

Correct Answer: B

Explanation: The primary focus should be on the IT strategic plan and its alignment with the business strategy (Option B). This ensures that IT initiatives support the overall goals and objectives of the organization. While budget, technical capabilities, and project completion are important, they are secondary to strategic alignment.

Correct Answer: D

Explanation: The best indicator of the IT strategy committee's effectiveness is the degree to which IT strategy supports business objectives. This demonstrates that the committee is successfully aligning IT initiatives with the organization's goals. While meeting frequency (A), representative diversity (B), and project implementation rate (C) are important, they do not directly measure strategic alignment.

Correct Answer: C

Explanation: The primary focus should be on the alignment of scorecard metrics with business objectives. The Balanced Scorecard is designed to translate an organization's strategic objectives into a set of performance measures. Ensuring that these metrics are aligned with business goals is crucial for the effectiveness of the approach. While financial metrics, update frequency, and data accuracy are important, they are secondary to strategic alignment.

Correct Answer: C

Explanation: The primary focus should be on the effectiveness of risk mitigation strategies, as this directly impacts the organization's ability to manage and reduce IT risks. While the frequency of risk assessments (Option A) and completeness of the risk register (Option B) are important, they are more procedural. The involvement of senior management (Option D) is crucial for support but doesn't directly assess the effectiveness of mitigation.

Correct Answer: C

Explanation: In a decentralized IT structure, the absence of a unified IT strategy is the most critical concern because it can lead to misalignment with the organization's overall objectives, inefficiencies, and increased risk. While the variety of systems, budget issues, and skill diversity are important, they are often symptoms of a lack of strategic alignment.

Correct Answer: C

Explanation: The Capability Maturity Model (CMM) is the most appropriate tool for assessing the maturity of an IT governance framework. It provides a structured approach to evaluating process maturity. SWOT analysis (Option A) and balanced scorecard (Option B) are strategic tools, while a risk heat map (Option D) is used for visualizing risk levels, not maturity.

Correct Answer: C

Explanation: The lack of a comprehensive IT risk management framework most likely leads to an increased likelihood of IT project failures. Without proper risk management, projects may encounter unforeseen issues that could derail their success. While operational costs, compliance, and alignment are affected, project failure is the most direct impact.

Correct Answer: B

Explanation: Regular updates to the strategic plan based on changing business conditions (B) are crucial for ensuring the plan remains relevant and aligned with the organization's needs. While including all IT projects (A), obtaining IT department approval (C), and having detailed budgets (D) are important, they do not guarantee the plan's success if it does not adapt to changes in the business environment.

Correct Answer: B

Explanation: The most important aspect to evaluate is the integration of the IT governance framework with enterprise governance. This ensures that IT strategies are aligned with business strategies and support the organization's overall objectives. While maturity, cost-effectiveness, and technical capabilities are important, they are secondary to ensuring strategic alignment.