ISO/IEC 20000 Foundation Certification — Questions and Answers

Question 1: Authors and owners of the Policy Documents are members of the Configuration Item Owner role.

FALSE (Correct answer)
TRUE

Correct answer: FALSE

The statement is false because the roles of a Policy Document owner and a Configuration Item (CI) Owner are distinct. A Policy Document owner is responsible for the content, governance, and lifecycle of a policy, ensuring it aligns with organizational objectives. A CI Owner, conversely, is accountable for a specific Configuration Item (e.g., a server, an application) and its accurate representation and management within the Configuration Management Database (CMDB).

Question 2: Which ISO 20000 process is primarily responsible for tracking the versions of software components deployed during a service transition?

Configuration management (Correct answer)
Release and deployment management
Change management
Problem management

Correct answer: Configuration management

Configuration management maintains the configuration management system (CMS), which tracks component versions and relationships.

Question 3: An ISO 20000-certified organization identifies that its change management process consistently causes unplanned outages. Which improvement approach aligns with the standard?

Conduct a root cause analysis, implement corrective actions, and monitor effectiveness (Correct answer)
Remove change management from the SMS scope
Only allow emergency changes going forward
Suspend all changes until the next audit cycle

Correct answer: Conduct a root cause analysis, implement corrective actions, and monitor effectiveness

The standard requires systematic root cause analysis followed by corrective actions with effectiveness monitoring for continual improvement.

Question 4: Which process within ISO 20000 service delivery is responsible for ensuring that agreed service levels are documented, monitored, and reported?

Service continuity management
Capacity management
Information security management
Service level management (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Service level management

Service level management ensures that all services are delivered according to documented and agreed-upon targets.

Question 5: In ISO 20000, service validation and testing is conducted primarily to achieve which outcome?

Document the total cost of ownership of the service
Assign ownership of the service to the operations team
Confirm that the new or changed service meets agreed service requirements before release (Correct answer)
Update the service portfolio with the new service entry

Correct answer: Confirm that the new or changed service meets agreed service requirements before release

Service validation and testing ensures that a new or changed service will deliver the value and outcomes required, and that it meets its agreed requirements, reducing the risk of failures after the service enters live operation.

Question 6: Which audit evidence would best demonstrate that an organization's capacity management process meets ISO 20000-1 requirements?

An organizational chart showing the capacity management team
A signed management policy statement on capacity planning
Documented capacity plans with current monitoring data and forecasts (Correct answer)
Meeting minutes from the last IT steering committee

Correct answer: Documented capacity plans with current monitoring data and forecasts

Capacity plans supported by monitoring data and forecasts provide objective evidence that the process is actively implemented and maintained.

Question 7: How can strategic organizational change be managed?

Hands-on experience
All of these are correct (Correct answer)
Education
Participation

Correct answer: All of these are correct

Strategic organizational change can be effectively managed through a combination of approaches. Education helps employees understand the reasons and benefits of change, hands-on experience allows them to adapt practically, and participation fosters ownership and reduces resistance. Therefore, all these methods are crucial for successful change management.

Question 8: How does ISO 20000 define the scope of a Service Management System?

By measuring the annual IT budget allocation
By counting the total number of employees in the organization
By identifying the services, organizational boundaries, and interfaces included in the SMS (Correct answer)
By listing every server and network device in the infrastructure

Correct answer: By identifying the services, organizational boundaries, and interfaces included in the SMS

The SMS scope is defined by identifying which services, organizational boundaries, and interfaces are included within the management system.

Question 9: Under ISO 20000, what distinguishes a 'known error' from a 'problem'?

A known error has been escalated to senior management
A known error is any incident that occurs more than once
A known error is a problem that has been permanently resolved
A known error has an identified root cause and a documented workaround (Correct answer)

Correct answer: A known error has an identified root cause and a documented workaround

A known error is a problem for which the root cause has been identified and a workaround or permanent fix has been documented.

Question 10: During the transition of a changed service, an organization's release policy, as required by ISO 20000, should be established and agreed upon with the customer. What essential information must this policy define?

The specific tools used for deployment
The individual names of the deployment team members
The marketing strategy for the new release
The frequency and type of releases (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The frequency and type of releases

According to ISO 20000, the Release and Deployment Management process requires the service provider to establish and agree upon a release policy with the customer. This policy must state the frequency and type of releases to manage expectations and ensure a controlled transition into the live environment.

Question 11: What BEST describes the distinction between service metrics and technological metrics?

Service metrics include critical success factors and Key Perfomance Indicators;Technology metrics include availabity and capacity
Service metrics measure the end service;Technology metrics measure individual components (Correct answer)
Service metrics measure each of the service management process;Technology metrics measure the infrastructure
Service metrics measure maturity and csost;Technology metrics measure efficiency and effectiveness

Correct answer: Service metrics measure the end service;Technology metrics measure individual components

Service metrics measure the overall performance and quality of the IT service as experienced by the customer or user, focusing on end-to-end delivery (e.g., service availability, response times). In contrast, Technology metrics measure the performance of individual infrastructure components or Configuration Items (CIs) that underpin the service (e.g., CPU utilization of a server, network latency). This distinction helps in understanding both the holistic service delivery and the health of its underlying parts.

Question 12: A service desk has noticed a recurring pattern of incidents related to a specific software application, all logged with the same error code after a recent update. While Incident Management resolves each user's issue with a workaround, the underlying fault persists. According to ISO 20000, which two processes must work closely together to address this situation for the long term?

Business Relationship Management and Supplier Management
Incident Management and Service Request Management
Incident Management and Problem Management (Correct answer)
Change Management and Service Level Management

Correct answer: Incident Management and Problem Management

Incident Management's goal is to restore service quickly, often using workarounds. When incidents recur, it indicates an underlying problem. The Problem Management process is responsible for investigating the root cause of these recurring incidents and finding a permanent solution. A strong relationship and information flow between these two processes are critical for long-term service stability.

Question 13: In ISO 20000, which document typically defines the acceptance criteria for transitioning a new service?

Supplier catalog
Service design plan (Correct answer)
Incident management policy
Capacity management report

Correct answer: Service design plan

The service design plan establishes acceptance criteria that must be satisfied before a service transitions to live operation.

Question 14: In ISO 20000-1, which term describes the set of interrelated or interacting elements of an organization used to establish policies, objectives, and processes to achieve those objectives for the delivery of services?

Service Management System (SMS) (Correct answer)
Service portfolio
Service catalogue
Configuration Management Database (CMDB)

Correct answer: Service Management System (SMS)

ISO 20000-1 defines the Service Management System (SMS) as the system of interrelated or interacting elements that an organization uses to direct and control how it plans, designs, transitions, delivers, and improves services.

Question 15: A financial services company is preparing to launch a new mobile banking application. To comply with ISO 20000 standards for the design and transition of a new service, which of the following activities is a mandatory part of the process?

Developing a social media campaign
Conducting a market competitor analysis
Performing a post-implementation user satisfaction survey
Testing the new service to verify it fulfills the documented design and service requirements (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Testing the new service to verify it fulfills the documented design and service requirements

ISO 20000 explicitly states that the transition of new or changed services includes testing the service to verify that it meets the documented design and fulfills the agreed-upon service requirements before it goes live.

Question 16: What does ISO 20000 require regarding supplier management?

That suppliers and contracts are managed to support the delivery of agreed services (Correct answer)
That only one supplier may be used per service category
That suppliers must also hold ISO 20000 certification
That all services must be delivered entirely in-house

Correct answer: That suppliers and contracts are managed to support the delivery of agreed services

ISO 20000 requires organizations to manage their suppliers and contracts to ensure they support the seamless delivery of agreed services.

Question 17: An internal audit of the Service Management System (SMS) reveals a significant nonconformity where the change management process was repeatedly bypassed for major changes. What is the organization required to do with this finding according to ISO 20000?

Ensure corrections and corrective actions are taken to address the nonconformity and its cause without undue delay. (Correct answer)
Report the finding to the external certification body within 24 hours.
Revise the SMS documentation to reflect the actual practice of bypassing the process.
Wait for the next management review to formally discuss the issue.

Correct answer: Ensure corrections and corrective actions are taken to address the nonconformity and its cause without undue delay.

Upon finding a nonconformity, whether through an internal audit or other means, ISO 20000-1 clause 10.1 (Nonconformity and corrective action) requires the organization to react to the nonconformity and take action to control and correct it, and to deal with the consequences. It must also evaluate the need for action to eliminate the cause of the nonconformity so that it does not recur or occur elsewhere.

Question 18: In general, the advantages of IT service management (ITSM) include ensuring that the IT services are in line with the requirements of the business, that there are integrated and centralized processes, and that the quality of the service is continuously tracked and improved. <br> Which of the following does not typically result from ITSM?

Helps cost-justify the services
Satisfies the pre-requisite for an official ITSM Maturity Assessment (Correct answer)
Metrics are collected to demonstrate how well the IT service is being delivered
Ensures that there are clear roles and responsibilities in provisioning the service

Correct answer: Satisfies the pre-requisite for an official ITSM Maturity Assessment

While ITSM practices can lead to improved maturity, simply implementing ITSM does not automatically 'satisfy the pre-requisite for an official ITSM Maturity Assessment.' Such assessments usually require specific documentation, evidence, and adherence to a defined framework (like ISO 20000 or ITIL) to meet formal criteria, which is a separate step beyond general ITSM advantages.

Question 19: In ISO 20000, what is the primary purpose of the complaint management process?

To penalize staff for service failures
To provide customers a formal channel to express dissatisfaction and receive resolution (Correct answer)
To renegotiate SLAs automatically
To replace the incident management process

Correct answer: To provide customers a formal channel to express dissatisfaction and receive resolution

Complaint management provides a formal mechanism for customers to express dissatisfaction and ensures those complaints are addressed and resolved.

Question 20: How does ISO 20000 specify that service continuity plans must be tested?

Annually on a fixed date set by the certification body
Continuously through automated monitoring tools integrated into the ITSM platform
Only when an actual disaster or major service failure occurs
At planned intervals defined by the organization to verify their effectiveness (Correct answer)

Correct answer: At planned intervals defined by the organization to verify their effectiveness

ISO 20000 requires testing of service continuity plans at planned intervals, leaving organizations to define their own appropriate frequency and test types — the standard does not prescribe a fixed annual schedule or restrict testing to real events.

Question 21: What does ISO 20000-1 require regarding incident prioritization?

Only major incidents require prioritization; minor incidents can be handled in any order
All incidents must be prioritized based solely on the time they were reported
Incidents must be prioritized based on their impact and urgency to determine appropriate response times (Correct answer)
Prioritization is optional and left to the discretion of the service desk

Correct answer: Incidents must be prioritized based on their impact and urgency to determine appropriate response times

ISO 20000-1 requires that incidents be prioritized based on their impact on the business and urgency, which together determine the appropriate response and resolution times.

Question 22: What is the primary objective of capacity management in ISO 20000 service delivery?

To manage changes to the production environment
To restore normal service operation as quickly as possible
To minimize the cost of IT infrastructure
To ensure sufficient capacity exists to meet current and future agreed demands (Correct answer)

Correct answer: To ensure sufficient capacity exists to meet current and future agreed demands

Capacity management ensures resources are sufficient to meet both current workloads and anticipated future service demands.

Question 23: Under ISO 20000, who holds ultimate accountability for the establishment and maintenance of the SMS?

The IT Service Manager
Top management (Correct answer)
The internal audit team
The Configuration Manager

Correct answer: Top management

ISO 20000-1:2018 Clause 5 (Leadership) places ultimate accountability for the SMS on top management.

Question 24: What is the purpose of exit provisions in an ISO 20000 supplier agreement?

To ensure smooth transition of services if the relationship ends (Correct answer)
To penalize the organization for early termination
To allow the supplier to exit without giving notice
To define marketing and branding rights for the supplier

Correct answer: To ensure smooth transition of services if the relationship ends

Exit provisions ensure that if the supplier relationship ends, services can transition smoothly without disruption to the customer.

Question 25: How often should the Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA) cycle's stages be visited?

There should be a single Plan and Do,then Check and Act should be carried out multiple times to implement times to implement Continual Improvement
There should be a single Plan,then the Do-Check-Act cyle should be repeated mutliple times to implement Continual Improvement
The entire cycle should be repeated multiple times to implement Continual Improvement (Correct answer)
Each stage should be carried out once in the order Plan-Do-Check-Act

Correct answer: The entire cycle should be repeated multiple times to implement Continual Improvement

The Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle is inherently iterative and designed for continuous improvement. The entire cycle should be repeated multiple times, allowing for ongoing learning, adaptation, and refinement of processes and services. Each iteration builds upon the previous one, driving incremental and continual enhancement rather than being a one-off or partially repeated activity.

Question 26: What is the primary purpose of conducting internal audits of the Service Management System (SMS) within the ISO 20000 framework?

To provide information on whether the SMS conforms to requirements and is effectively implemented and maintained. (Correct answer)
To eliminate the need for third-party certification audits by a registration body.
To define the service level targets and objectives for the upcoming reporting period.
To discipline employees who are not following documented procedures.

Correct answer: To provide information on whether the SMS conforms to requirements and is effectively implemented and maintained.

ISO 20000-1, clause 9.2, specifies that internal audits are conducted to provide information on whether the SMS conforms to both the organization's own requirements and the requirements of the standard, and to verify that it is effectively implemented and maintained. The purpose is not punitive but rather to identify nonconformities and opportunities for improvement.

Question 27: An organization wants to demonstrate its capability to consistently design, transition, deliver, and improve services that fulfill service requirements. Which part of the ISO/IEC 20000 standard specifies the requirements for a Service Management System (SMS) to achieve this?

ISO/IEC 20000-1 (Correct answer)
ISO/IEC 20000-2
ISO/IEC 20000-3
ISO/IEC 20000-10

Correct answer: ISO/IEC 20000-1

ISO/IEC 20000-1 is the part of the standard that specifies the mandatory requirements for an organization to establish, implement, maintain, and continually improve a Service Management System (SMS). Organizations can be formally audited and certified against this part. ISO/IEC 20000-2 provides guidance on the application of an SMS, and other parts provide further guidance or relate to other frameworks.

Question 28: In the context of CSI, what does 'closing the loop' mean?

Stopping all improvement activities
Verifying that an improvement achieved its objective and documenting the outcome (Correct answer)
Returning a service to its original state
Ending a project without review

Correct answer: Verifying that an improvement achieved its objective and documenting the outcome

Closing the loop means confirming the improvement met its goal and formally recording what was learned.

Question 29: During an ISO 20000 surveillance audit, the auditor asks for evidence of continual improvement. Which of the following BEST demonstrates this?

Records showing identified improvement opportunities were implemented and their effectiveness was verified (Correct answer)
A list of planned improvements that have not yet been implemented
Meeting minutes showing management approved the SMS policy last year
A signed statement from the CEO confirming commitment to improvement

Correct answer: Records showing identified improvement opportunities were implemented and their effectiveness was verified

Evidence of continual improvement requires showing that improvements were not only identified and implemented but also verified for effectiveness.

Question 30: A service provider's top management has just completed its planned review of the Service Management System (SMS). Which of the following is a required OUTPUT of this management review process?

A summary report of all service level performance against targets.
The documented internal audit program and its findings.
A collection of customer satisfaction survey results.
Decisions and actions related to continual improvement opportunities. (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Decisions and actions related to continual improvement opportunities.

As per ISO 20000-1, clause 9.3, the outputs of the management review must include decisions and actions related to continual improvement opportunities and any necessary changes to the SMS. Performance reports, survey results, and audit findings are all inputs to the review, not outputs.

Question 31: Which of the following BEST describes a 'pilot deployment' in the context of ISO 20000 service transition?

An emergency release bypassing normal change management
A limited rollout to a subset of users to validate the service before full release (Correct answer)
Deploying to all users simultaneously to test at scale
A rollback of a failed deployment to a previous version

Correct answer: A limited rollout to a subset of users to validate the service before full release

A pilot deployment releases the service to a controlled user group to identify issues before organization-wide rollout.

Question 32: In ISO 20000, what must an organization do regarding risks and opportunities that could affect the SMS?

Delegate all risk management to an external consultant
Identify risks and opportunities, plan actions to address them, and integrate those actions into SMS processes (Correct answer)
Only address risks after they have caused a service outage
Ignore risks that have a low probability of occurrence

Correct answer: Identify risks and opportunities, plan actions to address them, and integrate those actions into SMS processes

Organizations must identify risks and opportunities affecting the SMS, plan appropriate actions, and integrate those actions into their service management processes.

Question 33: What role does the internal audit program play in the performance evaluation requirements of ISO 20000?

It serves exclusively to evaluate individual employee performance
It replaces the need for external certification audits
It is only required during the initial certification phase
It provides objective evidence that the SMS conforms to requirements and is effectively implemented (Correct answer)

Correct answer: It provides objective evidence that the SMS conforms to requirements and is effectively implemented

The internal audit program provides objective evidence of SMS conformity and effective implementation, which is a core performance evaluation requirement.

Question 34: An organization has completed a corrective action to address a nonconformity found during an internal audit. What must it do next according to ISO 20000?

Update the service catalog to reflect the change
Review the effectiveness of the corrective action taken (Correct answer)
Archive the nonconformity report without further review
Schedule an external audit to validate the correction

Correct answer: Review the effectiveness of the corrective action taken

ISO/IEC 20000-1 clause 10.1 requires that after implementing a corrective action, the organization reviews its effectiveness. Simply completing the action is insufficient — the standard mandates a follow-up to confirm the nonconformity has been resolved and will not recur.

Question 35: Which metric is most aligned with measuring Availability Management performance under ISO 20000?

Customer Satisfaction Score
First Call Resolution Rate
Number of open change requests
Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF)

MTBF measures the average time between service failures and is a key metric for assessing and improving service availability.

Question 36: What is a 'known error' in ITIL 4 Problem Management?

An incident that has been closed without resolution
A problem with a documented root cause and workaround (Correct answer)
An error identified during a software audit
A change that caused a service disruption

Correct answer: A problem with a documented root cause and workaround

A known error is a problem where the root cause has been identified and a workaround documented, even if no permanent fix has been applied.

Question 37: What procedures are required to build and deliver a certain service to a consumer?

Service management
A value stream
Practices
Service level management (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Service level management

Service Level Management (SLM) is the practice responsible for defining, agreeing upon, and managing the procedures and targets required to build and deliver a service to a consumer. It ensures that services meet agreed-upon specifications and expectations. While a value stream involves activities, SLM specifically focuses on the agreed-upon procedures and performance levels for service delivery.

Question 38: In ISO 20000, what happens if a service fails to meet its acceptance criteria during transition?

The service is deployed with a temporary exemption from SLA requirements
The service must not be deployed to the live environment until issues are resolved (Correct answer)
The failure is logged as an incident and the service proceeds to go-live
Acceptance criteria are revised downward to match the current service capability

Correct answer: The service must not be deployed to the live environment until issues are resolved

If acceptance criteria are not met, ISO 20000 prohibits deployment to the live environment until the identified issues are resolved.

Question 39: During the design of a new customer relationship management (CRM) service, the project team must consider how information about the service's components, such as software, hardware, and documentation, will be managed throughout its lifecycle. Which process is essential for defining, recording, and maintaining this information?

Service Continuity Management
Configuration Management (Correct answer)
Business Relationship Management
Supplier Management

Correct answer: Configuration Management

Configuration Management is the process responsible for identifying, recording, controlling, and verifying information about Configuration Items (CIs), which are the components that make up a service. This information, stored in a Configuration Management Database (CMDB), is critical for the successful design, transition, and ongoing support of any service.

Question 40: Which of the following best describes a 'supplier' in the context of ISO 20000 relationship processes?

The customer's IT department
A third party that provides goods or services used by the service provider to deliver services (Correct answer)
An internal team that supports the service desk
Any organization that purchases services from the provider

Correct answer: A third party that provides goods or services used by the service provider to deliver services

A supplier is a third party that provides goods or services that contribute to the service provider's ability to deliver services to the customer.

ISO/IEC 20000 Foundation Certification

The ISO/IEC 20000 Foundation certification validates an individual's understanding of the fundamental concepts and principles of IT Service Management (ITSM) based on the ISO/IEC 20000 standard.

Questions

60 min

Time Limit

65%

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