ISO 20000 Certification ISO 20000 Relationship and Resolution Processes 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In ISO 20000, which criteria are typically used together to determine the priority of an incident?
- The date and time the incident was logged and the name of the reporting user
- The impact on business operations and the urgency of restoring service (Correct answer)
- The number of changes deployed in the past week and current system load
- The availability of technical staff and the cost of the proposed fix
Correct answer: The impact on business operations and the urgency of restoring service
ISO 20000 incident management defines priority based on two dimensions: impact (the effect on the business if the incident is not resolved) and urgency (how quickly the business needs the service restored). Together these drive the response and resolution targets.
Question 2: What is the primary purpose of the supplier management process in ISO 20000?
- To procure hardware and negotiate software licences for the IT department
- To evaluate the performance of internal IT staff against KPIs
- To manage relationships with suppliers so that agreed services are delivered to support the service provider's obligations (Correct answer)
- To maintain a register of all configuration items sourced from third parties
Correct answer: To manage relationships with suppliers so that agreed services are delivered to support the service provider's obligations
Supplier management ensures that suppliers meet their contractual obligations so the service provider can in turn meet its commitments to customers. It covers the full lifecycle of supplier contracts, performance monitoring, and relationship governance.
Question 3: What is the main function of a Known Error Database (KEDB) within ISO 20000 problem management?
- To record all incidents raised by end users along with their resolution times
- To store root-cause information and workarounds for identified problems so incidents can be resolved faster (Correct answer)
- To track SLA compliance and flag breaches to senior management
- To maintain an audit log of all changes applied to the production environment
Correct answer: To store root-cause information and workarounds for identified problems so incidents can be resolved faster
The KEDB captures known errors — problems whose root cause has been identified — together with available workarounds. When a matching incident recurs, support staff can apply the documented workaround immediately, reducing impact and resolution time.
Question 4: Under ISO 20000, how is a 'workaround' best defined in the context of problem management?
- A permanent fix that eliminates the root cause of a problem from the environment
- A formal change request raised to address a recurring incident pattern
- A temporary measure that reduces or eliminates the impact of an incident or problem until a permanent resolution is implemented (Correct answer)
- An escalation procedure used when a problem exceeds its target resolution time
Correct answer: A temporary measure that reduces or eliminates the impact of an incident or problem until a permanent resolution is implemented
A workaround provides interim relief — it does not fix the underlying cause but makes the impact manageable while the permanent solution is being developed. It is recorded in the KEDB alongside the known error.
Question 5: Which ISO 20000 process is specifically responsible for capturing and fulfilling routine user requests for standard services, information, or access without invoking the full incident or change management workflow?
- Problem management
- Business relationship management
- Service request management (Correct answer)
- Release and deployment management
Correct answer: Service request management
Service request management handles pre-approved, low-risk requests — such as password resets, access grants, or standard software installations — that follow a predefined fulfilment procedure, keeping them separate from unplanned disruptions (incidents) and significant changes.
Question 6: Which of the following is a key output produced by the business relationship management process under ISO 20000?
- A prioritised backlog of open incidents awaiting resolution
- Documented customer requirements and a record of customer satisfaction levels (Correct answer)
- A capacity plan projecting infrastructure needs for the next 12 months
- A risk register covering all configuration items in the live environment
Correct answer: Documented customer requirements and a record of customer satisfaction levels
Business relationship management focuses on understanding and meeting customer needs. Its key outputs include formally documented customer requirements and regular customer satisfaction assessments, which are used to drive service improvements and demonstrate value to the business.
ISO 20000 Certification ISO 20000 Relationship and Resolution Processes 1
In ISO 20000, which criteria are typically used together to determine the priority of an incident?