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COBIT 2019 Design and Implementation Isaca Practice Test Questions and Exam Dumps

Question 1

A CEO of a domestic enterprise plans to expand its operations globally. The CEO has selected enterprise goals using the COBIT goals cascade and has tasked the CIO with tailoring COBIT as required. After selecting the relevant alignment goals, 

Which of the following should be the CIO's NEXT priority?

A. Management objectives
B. Design factors
C. Organizational structure
D. Management activities

Answer: B

Explanation:

The COBIT framework (Control Objectives for Information and Related Technologies) is a comprehensive governance and management framework for enterprise IT. One of the key strengths of COBIT is its Goals Cascade, which helps organizations translate stakeholder needs into specific, actionable, and customized goals at various levels of the organization.

COBIT Goals Cascade Overview:

The goals cascade flows in this order:

1. Stakeholder needs

2. Enterprise goals

3. Alignment goals

4. Governance and management objectives

After selecting enterprise goals and then identifying the alignment goals, the next step is not to immediately implement management objectives or activities but rather to tailor COBIT to the organization’s specific context. This is done through an assessment of design factors.

What Are Design Factors?

Design factors are critical to customizing the governance system to the enterprise’s specific needs and circumstances. They include elements like:

• Enterprise strategy (e.g., growth, innovation, or stability)

• Risk profile

• Compliance requirements

• IT-related issues

• Role of IT (support, factory, strategic)

• Threat landscape

• Sourcing model

• Enterprise size and maturity

• Industry-specific needs

These design factors help the CIO and the governance team determine how the components of the COBIT framework should be adapted. This step is essential to ensure the governance and management objectives are fit-for-purpose, i.e., relevant and effective for the enterprise’s specific structure, context, and strategic priorities.

Only after evaluating the design factors can the CIO and team effectively select and implement the right management objectives, organizational structures, and activities in a way that aligns with both business and IT goals.

Breakdown of Options:

• A. Management objectives:
  While important, these are selected after tailoring the system through design factors. Jumping directly to management objectives without understanding the enterprise’s context could result in misaligned priorities.

• B. Design factors:
  Correct. These are used to tailor the governance system to the enterprise's specific environment and needs. This tailoring is what ensures that the chosen governance and management objectives are both relevant and effective.

• C. Organizational structure:
  This may need to be considered later during implementation, but it's not the next priority in the design sequence after selecting alignment goals.

• D. Management activities:
  These come at a more granular level and are part of the implementation phase. The CIO needs to first ensure that the right governance system is defined through the consideration of design factors.

After selecting the relevant alignment goals in the COBIT goals cascade, the next priority for the CIO should be to evaluate and apply the design factors. This step ensures that the governance system is tailored to the organization’s context, which is critical for successful implementation and achievement of enterprise goals.

Therefore, the correct answer is: B.

Question 2

Which of the following components should be considered in addition to processes, policies and procedures when designing a governance system?

A. Information items
B. Knowledge flows
C. Data flows
D. Configuration items

Answer: A

Explanation:

In the context of the COBIT 2019 framework, which provides a comprehensive model for the governance and management of enterprise IT, designing a governance system involves considering a wide range of components. These components ensure that governance is both comprehensive and tailored to the organization's specific needs.

According to COBIT, the core components of a governance system are:

1. Processes

2. Organizational structures

3. Policies and procedures

4. Information items

5. Culture, ethics, and behavior

6. People, skills, and competencies

7. Services, infrastructure, and applications

Key Concept: Information Items

Information items are one of the seven governance system components in COBIT 2019. These refer to the data and information that the enterprise uses or produces as part of its governance and management activities. In a governance context, information is a critical enabler—it supports decision-making, reporting, accountability, performance monitoring, and strategic alignment.

COBIT defines information as both:

• Input to governance and management processes, and

• Output that reflects performance or compliance.

Examples of information items include:

• Performance metrics

• Compliance reports

• Risk assessments

• Audit logs

• Project status updates

• Incident reports

Therefore, when designing a governance system, in addition to defining the right processes, policies, and procedures, it is equally important to determine:

• What information is required to support these elements,

• How that information will be managed, secured, shared, and

• How it will be used to evaluate and guide governance objectives.

Why Not the Other Options?

• B. Knowledge flows:
  While knowledge management is important in broader IT and organizational contexts, COBIT explicitly identifies information items—not "knowledge flows"—as a core governance system component.

• C. Data flows:
  Data flows are related to how data moves between systems or entities, and while relevant in IT architecture or security, COBIT focuses on information as a more structured and processed form of data. Data flows may support information management but are not recognized in COBIT as a governance system component.

• D. Configuration items:
  Configuration items are part of IT service management (e.g., ITIL) and refer to components of infrastructure that need to be managed to deliver services. While important in service delivery, they are not a direct component of COBIT’s governance system design.

When designing a governance system using COBIT, one must consider more than just processes, policies, and procedures. Information items are a foundational component, providing the necessary input and feedback mechanisms that make governance effective. COBIT explicitly includes information among its core governance system components, emphasizing its role in informed decision-making and performance evaluation.

Therefore, the correct answer is: A.

Question 3

When is it MOST important for an enterprise to apply the full governance design workflow and carefully consider all design factors?

A. When the enterprise requires a broad, holistic, and comprehensive view of its governance system
B. When key stakeholders cannot agree on governance objectives, strategy, and priorities
C. When the enterprise needs to focus on one key initiative requiring a major investment
D. When the enterprise must meet complex regulatory requirements for which the enterprise is not currently in compliance

Answer: A

Explanation:

The COBIT 2019 framework provides a governance system design workflow that enterprises can follow when they are developing or updating their IT governance systems. The goal of this workflow is to tailor governance and management practices to fit the organization’s specific needs and context.

The governance design workflow includes several steps:

1. Understand the enterprise context and strategy.

2. Determine enterprise goals and alignment goals.

3. Determine important design factors.

4. Select and prioritize governance and management objectives.

5. Customize the governance system components (e.g., processes, structures, information).

6. Fit the governance system into the overall enterprise governance framework.

Importance of Applying the Full Workflow

While the design workflow can be applied partially or in a targeted manner (e.g., for a specific initiative), it is most critical to use the entire, comprehensive workflow in situations where a full, organization-wide governance system is being built, restructured, or overhauled. This typically applies when the enterprise:

• Needs a comprehensive, integrated view of governance.

• Is undergoing major transformation, such as entering new markets or restructuring operations.

• Requires alignment between business goals and IT initiatives across multiple departments and systems.

Option Analysis

• A. When the enterprise requires a broad, holistic, and comprehensive view of its governance system
  Correct. This is the textbook scenario for applying the full governance design workflow. When the organization is aiming for a complete and structured governance system that spans its operations, it is essential to assess all design factors and ensure full alignment between enterprise goals, alignment goals, governance objectives, and components.

• B. When key stakeholders cannot agree on governance objectives, strategy, and priorities
  While applying some design components might help bring clarity, this situation represents more of a strategic alignment or communication challenge than a governance system design issue. Conflict among stakeholders doesn’t directly indicate the need for a full design workflow.

• C. When the enterprise needs to focus on one key initiative requiring a major investment
  This is more of a targeted governance need, where applying specific components of the COBIT framework might suffice—such as selecting only relevant governance and management objectives. The full workflow may not be necessary here.

• D. When the enterprise must meet complex regulatory requirements for which the enterprise is not currently in compliance
  This situation may call for a focused compliance project, not necessarily a complete redesign of the governance system. Some design factors might be useful, but it doesn't require the full governance design workflow unless the regulatory issues span the entire organization.

The full governance design workflow, including careful consideration of all design factors, is most important when an enterprise requires a broad, holistic, and comprehensive governance system. This scenario ensures that all organizational needs, strategic directions, risk profiles, and IT capabilities are fully considered and integrated.

Therefore, the correct answer is: A

Question 4

Which function within the IT corporate structure is responsible for classifying information using an agreed-upon classification scheme for a new data collection system?

A. Information security
B. Information privacy
C. IT governance
D. Enterprise architecture

Answer: A

Explanation:

Information classification is a core responsibility of the information security function within an enterprise. When an organization introduces a new data collection system, one of the critical steps is to ensure that the data being collected is properly classified based on sensitivity, value, and associated risk. This enables the appropriate security controls to be applied to protect the data according to its classification level.

What is Information Classification?

Information classification is the process of organizing data into categories that reflect its level of sensitivity and risk if disclosed, altered, or lost. Common classification levels might include:

• Public

• Internal use only

• Confidential

• Highly confidential or restricted

These levels help determine:

• Who can access the data

• How the data should be stored and transmitted

• What level of encryption or protection is required

• The retention and disposal procedures

Why Information Security Is Responsible

The information security function is tasked with ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability (CIA triad) of data. As part of this role, information security professionals:

• Define or help implement classification frameworks and policies

• Educate data owners on how to classify data

• Ensure appropriate technical and procedural controls are in place based on classification

• Monitor compliance with classification rules

This function ensures that classification is aligned with risk management strategies and that security controls correspond to the sensitivity of the information.

Analysis of Other Options:

• B. Information privacy:
  The privacy function focuses on compliance with privacy laws and the protection of personally identifiable information (PII). While privacy professionals may use data classifications to inform policy, they are not typically responsible for defining or applying classification schemes across all types of data.

• C. IT governance:
  Governance defines high-level roles, responsibilities, and accountability structures. While IT governance ensures that classification policies exist and are enforced, it does not perform classification or manage implementation details.

• D. Enterprise architecture:
  The enterprise architecture team ensures that IT systems align with business strategies and standards. They may define data flows and structures but do not handle security classification or its enforcement.

When a new data collection system is being introduced, classifying information according to sensitivity and risk is essential for applying proper security controls. This task falls squarely within the information security function, which is responsible for protecting enterprise data and ensuring it is handled according to its classification.

Therefore, the correct answer is: A.

Question 5

What can management do to help ensure a planned IT initiative will meet future state objectives?

A. Conduct stage gate reviews during implementation.
B. Establish a return on investment (ROI) target.
C. Monitor key risk indicators (KRIs).
D. Define operational performance metrics.

Answer: A

Explanation:

To ensure that a planned IT initiative meets its intended future state objectives, management must actively monitor and guide the initiative throughout its lifecycle. One of the most effective ways to do this is by implementing stage gate reviews, which serve as formal checkpoints at various phases of the project.

What Are Stage Gate Reviews?

Stage gate reviews (also known as phase-gate reviews) are structured evaluation points placed at key stages in a project or initiative. At each gate, management assesses the project's progress and makes critical decisions such as:

• Whether to proceed to the next stage

• Whether to make changes or improvements

• Whether to stop or postpone the initiative

These reviews allow management to:

• Ensure alignment with future state objectives

• Evaluate if the project is staying within scope, budget, and time constraints

• Confirm that key business and IT requirements are being met

• Validate risk mitigation, resource allocation, and stakeholder engagement

• Make informed, data-driven decisions

By regularly reviewing deliverables and progress at defined stages, management gains the ability to course-correct early if the initiative starts to deviate from its strategic goals. This proactive oversight is crucial for ensuring long-term success and realizing the intended future state.

Analysis of Other Options:

• B. Establish a return on investment (ROI) target:
  While setting an ROI target is valuable for determining the expected financial benefit, it is not an ongoing method to ensure the initiative is meeting its objectives. It’s more of a goal-setting mechanism rather than an active management process.

• C. Monitor key risk indicators (KRIs):
  KRIs are important for identifying emerging risks, but on their own, they don't ensure alignment with future state objectives. Risk monitoring is part of broader project governance but doesn't directly manage performance toward desired outcomes.

• D. Define operational performance metrics:
  Defining metrics is important, especially for post-implementation performance tracking. However, like ROI, metrics provide a way to measure outcomes, not necessarily to guide the initiative toward those outcomes during its development. Without mechanisms like stage gate reviews, metrics might highlight problems too late.

While establishing targets, monitoring risk, and defining metrics are important components of a successful IT initiative, the most direct and effective way for management to ensure the initiative aligns with future state goals is by conducting stage gate reviews. These reviews enable real-time oversight, alignment with objectives, and decision-making authority at critical points throughout the project lifecycle.

Therefore, the correct answer is: A.

Question 6

Which of the following is an example of a specific focus area to which COBIT could be customized?

A. Information items
B. Cybersecurity
C. Capability levels
D. Enterprise goals

Answer: B

Explanation:

The COBIT 2019 framework is a flexible, customizable governance system that organizations can tailor to meet specific enterprise needs. One of the ways COBIT can be tailored is through the use of focus areas, which represent specific themes, domains, or concerns that require customized governance approaches.

What Are COBIT Focus Areas?

In COBIT 2019, focus areas are defined as topics of interest, concern, or priority for governance that can influence how the governance system is designed and applied. These areas help tailor the governance system by addressing unique organizational needs, risk profiles, or strategic goals. COBIT provides guidance on how to adjust governance components (like processes, organizational structures, information, etc.) depending on the selected focus area.

Common examples of COBIT focus areas include:

• Cybersecurity

• Digital transformation

• Small and medium enterprises (SMEs)

• Risk management

• Cloud computing

• DevOps

• Privacy and data protection

Each focus area allows an organization to emphasize specific governance objectives, performance metrics, and risk considerations relevant to that topic.

Why Cybersecurity Is the Correct Answer

Cybersecurity is a classic and prominent example of a COBIT focus area. In this case, COBIT can be adapted to place greater emphasis on:

• Governance of information security policies and frameworks

• Management of security-related risk and compliance

• Monitoring of security capabilities and incidents

• Alignment of security objectives with enterprise goals

There are even supplemental COBIT guides that provide implementation guidance for cybersecurity focus areas. These tools help organizations ensure their IT security governance aligns with both COBIT and industry best practices (e.g., NIST, ISO 27001).

Why Not the Other Options?

• A. Information items:
  These are a governance system component, not a focus area. They represent structured data used by governance processes (e.g., reports, dashboards), but they are not a theme or domain that would be customized.

• C. Capability levels:
  Capability levels are performance metrics for processes, not focus areas. They help assess how well governance and management objectives are being achieved, but they are outputs, not customization areas.

• D. Enterprise goals:
  Enterprise goals are part of the goals cascade used to align governance objectives with strategic direction. While they are important in tailoring governance systems, they are inputs to the design process, not focus areas themselves.

Cybersecurity is a clear example of a COBIT focus area—a topic around which governance systems can and should be tailored to reflect the organization’s unique needs. COBIT provides structure and guidance for adapting governance to support such areas effectively.

Therefore, the correct answer is: B.

Question 7

While tailoring design factors, which of the following roles of IT demonstrates the HIGHEST level of enterprise dependency on I&T?

A. Turnaround
B. Strategic
C. Support
D. Factory

Answer: B

Explanation:

When using COBIT 2019 to design or tailor an enterprise governance system, one of the key design factors is the “Role of IT” in the enterprise. This factor helps determine how critical information and technology (I&T) are to the success and operations of the organization. It ranges from minimal to extremely high dependency and directly influences how governance and management objectives are prioritized.

Understanding the "Role of IT" Design Factor

COBIT categorizes the role of IT into four archetypes, each reflecting a progressively higher level of I&T dependency:

1. Support
   
   

• IT plays a minor, supportive role.

• Technology supports internal operations but is not critical to competitive advantage or business growth.

• Example: Basic accounting systems in a manufacturing firm.

2. Factory
   
   

• IT is essential for day-to-day operations, but it is not central to strategic differentiation.

• Outages may cause serious operational disruption, but IT is not a driver of revenue or innovation.

• Example: Retail operations dependent on transaction processing.

3. Turnaround
   
   

• IT is viewed as transformational.

• The organization is undergoing major change where technology is expected to be a key enabler for innovation or strategic repositioning.

• Example: A company moving to digital business models to survive market disruption.

4. Strategic
   
   

• IT is core to the business strategy, operations, and competitive advantage.

• Highest level of I&T dependency.

• The organization’s success and survival are intrinsically linked to how well it uses and governs technology.

• Example: Digital-first companies (e.g., tech platforms, fintech, e-commerce giants).

Why "Strategic" Is the Correct Answer

The "Strategic" role of IT is at the top of this hierarchy and indicates that the enterprise is highly dependent on I&T for achieving its mission, vision, and goals. Any failure or underperformance in I&T could directly impact business continuity, customer satisfaction, market position, and regulatory compliance.

Tailoring the COBIT governance system for a strategic role of IT means placing strong emphasis on:

• Innovation management

• Risk mitigation for tech failure

• Data governance

• Continuous monitoring and improvement

• Tight alignment between IT strategy and business strategy

Why the Other Options Are Incorrect:

• A. Turnaround:
  Significant but transitional reliance on IT. IT is important in the short term for change, but not yet embedded as a long-term strategic driver.

• C. Support:
  Indicates the lowest level of dependency on IT. It’s important for internal processes but not mission-critical.

• D. Factory:
  IT is important for operational efficiency, but it doesn’t define the company’s strategic success or differentiation.

In COBIT's governance design, understanding the enterprise’s role of IT helps tailor processes and components to the business context. Among the options, Strategic reflects the highest level of I&T dependency, meaning the organization views technology as integral to its core business model and value proposition.

Therefore, the correct answer is: B.

Question 8

What is a PRIMARY responsibility of the program management office during the planning phase that defines the initial program concept business case?

A. Identifying business priorities and business strategy dependent on IT
B. Providing advice regarding controls and potential risks
C. Identifying success factors and a way to monitor progress
D. Ensuring that both needs and business objectives are stated

Answer: D

Explanation:

The Program Management Office (PMO) plays a vital role in overseeing and guiding the development of programs and projects within an organization. During the planning phase, especially at the point where the initial program concept and business case are being defined, the PMO has a crucial responsibility to ensure that the initiative is well-founded and aligned with strategic objectives.

Why “Ensuring that both needs and business objectives are stated” is the correct answer:

During the planning phase, one of the most foundational tasks is to establish a clear business case. This document should:

• Explain why the program is needed

• Align with strategic business objectives

• Define the value proposition and anticipated benefits

• Provide justification for investment and resource allocation

The PMO's primary responsibility in this phase is to ensure clarity and alignment between what the organization needs (needs statement) and what it aims to achieve (business objectives). Without this alignment, the program lacks direction, and it becomes difficult to evaluate progress or success later on.

This is foundational work—if the needs and objectives are not clearly documented from the outset, it undermines all future planning, execution, and governance. Therefore, ensuring these are stated properly is a primary responsibility of the PMO during early planning.

Why the other options are not primary responsibilities at this stage:

• A. Identifying business priorities and business strategy dependent on IT:
  This is typically a responsibility of executive leadership or strategic planning teams, not the PMO. The PMO may reference these priorities but does not define them.

• B. Providing advice regarding controls and potential risks:
  While the PMO may provide some risk-related input, especially related to governance structures or previous lessons learned, the main responsibility for control and risk assessment typically lies with risk management functions or auditors. It is also more prominent in later stages of planning or during execution.

• C. Identifying success factors and a way to monitor progress:
  This task is indeed important, but it generally follows after the business needs and objectives have been clearly articulated. Success factors and monitoring methods are tools for measuring whether objectives are being met—they are not the starting point of planning.

In the initial planning phase, before implementation or detailed design work begins, the Program Management Office must ensure that the foundational rationale for the program is clearly captured. That includes both the needs the program addresses and the business goals it supports. Only after this step can accurate assessments, measurements, and strategies be developed.

Therefore, the correct answer is: D.

Question 9

Which of the following is a KEY consideration when determining the initial scope of a governance system?

A. Compliance requirements faced by the enterprise
B. The size of the enterprise
C. The role of IT within the enterprise
D. Current I&T-related issues of the enterprise

Answer: D

Explanation:

When an enterprise begins to define or redesign its governance system—especially using frameworks like COBIT 2019—one of the key early steps is determining the initial scope. This scope-setting phase is crucial because it shapes all subsequent decisions, including which governance components to prioritize, which processes to implement, and how deeply to integrate information and technology (I&T) governance into the business structure.

Among the several design factors COBIT recommends evaluating, current I&T-related issues stand out as a key practical driver of scope. These are the immediate challenges, gaps, pain points, and risks the enterprise is facing that need to be addressed through governance.

Why Current I&T-Related Issues Are Key to Scope Setting:

Focusing on current issues allows the enterprise to:

• Ensure relevance and urgency in its governance initiatives.

• Prioritize the governance system around pressing risks, compliance failures, or underperforming areas.

• Set realistic boundaries for the governance framework by targeting known problem areas first.

• Deliver quick wins or early improvements that can build support for broader adoption of governance practices.

For example, if an enterprise is facing a high number of cybersecurity incidents or project failures, it makes sense for the initial scope of governance to concentrate on security processes or project management disciplines. This ensures the governance system directly tackles business-critical issues from the outset.

Why the Other Options Are Not the Best Answer:

• A. Compliance requirements faced by the enterprise:
  Compliance is important and often influences governance design, but it is typically a requirement to be met rather than a scope-defining factor. Compliance requirements will certainly shape governance objectives, but they do not singularly determine the initial boundaries or focus of a governance system.

• B. The size of the enterprise:
  While organizational size can influence the complexity and scale of governance, it does not necessarily dictate the scope. A small organization may have high governance needs, and a large one might begin with a narrow governance initiative. Size is more of a design consideration than a scoping driver.

• C. The role of IT within the enterprise:
  The role of IT is a design factor that helps tailor governance approaches, such as whether IT is viewed as strategic, supportive, etc. But again, it is not the primary input for defining scope. The actual issues and challenges are a stronger indicator of where governance is needed most.

The initial scope of a governance system should be guided by what matters most to the enterprise right now. This means targeting current I&T-related issues—the challenges that are already affecting operations, strategy, or risk. Addressing these issues makes the governance system both immediately valuable and more likely to gain executive support.

Therefore, the correct answer is: D.

Question 10

In which of the following phases should long-term targets be adjusted based on experience?

A. How do we get there?
B. Where are we now?
C. What needs to be done?
D. Did we get there?

Answer: D

Explanation:

In the COBIT Performance Management lifecycle and broader governance system design and implementation, organizations are guided by a cyclical and adaptive process that includes several key phases. These phases help evaluate the current state, plan the desired future, and continuously monitor and refine strategies and objectives.

The phase “Did we get there?” refers to the evaluation and performance measurement phase, where the actual outcomes of governance initiatives are assessed. This step answers the question: Have we achieved our intended goals and outcomes?

Why Adjustments Occur in “Did we get there?” Phase:

• During this phase, measured results from implemented changes or initiatives are compared against the initial long-term targets.

• Organizations assess whether those targets were realistic, achievable, and still relevant in the current operational or strategic context.

• If the actual outcomes differ significantly from the original expectations—positively or negatively—this signals a need to reassess the targets.

• For example, if certain improvements are achieved faster than anticipated, the organization might raise its long-term expectations. Conversely, if progress is slower, more pragmatic or incremental targets may be set.

This phase promotes continuous improvement and adaptive governance by ensuring that targets are not static, but rather evolve based on empirical results and learned experience.

Why the Other Options Are Incorrect:

• A. How do we get there?
  This is the planning phase, where roadmaps, projects, and initiatives are developed. While strategies are created here, long-term targets are usually set in advance and are not adjusted until outcomes are evaluated.

• B. Where are we now?
  This phase focuses on assessing the current state. It establishes the baseline, identifies gaps, and evaluates risks and strengths, but does not adjust long-term goals.

• C. What needs to be done?
  This is the action-planning phase that defines the specific changes and priorities needed to bridge the gap between current and desired states. It does not involve modifying established long-term goals unless informed by later evaluations.

In governance and performance management, targets should not be fixed indefinitely. As an organization learns from the execution of strategies and observes the outcomes, it must be prepared to reassess and recalibrate its expectations. This kind of responsive adjustment is a core element of a mature, performance-driven governance system.

The most appropriate time to make such adjustments is during the “Did we get there?” phase, when actual performance data can be used to judge whether original targets are still appropriate.

Therefore, the correct answer is: D.