ITIL-4-Foundation ITIL 4 Foundation Exam Questions and Answers

Costs are the amount of money spent on a specific activity or resource. From the service consumer’s perspective, there are two types of cost involved in service relationships:

Costs removed from the consumer by the service (a part of the value proposition). For example, for a car sharing service, the customer does not pay for the actual cost of purchasing the car.

https://www.bmc.com/blogs/itil-key-concepts-service-management/

More complex incidents will usually be escalated to a support team for resolution, or even suppliers and partners who offer support for products and services they provide.

IT asset is any financially valuable component that can contribute to the delivery of an IT product or service. The scope of IT asset management typically includes all software, hardware, networking, cloud services, and client devices

https://wiki.process-symphony.com.au/framework/lifecycle/process/it-asset-management-itil-4/#:~:text=IT%20asset%20is%20any%20financially,cloud%20services%2C%20and%20client%20devices.

In ITIL 4, the purpose of the information security management practice is to:

Protect the organization’s information by ensuring confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data, and also covering aspects such as authentication, non-repudiation, and reliability.

Authentication ensures that users or systems are who they claim to be.

Non-repudiation ensures that an action or transaction cannot later be denied by the party that performed it.

These are core topics within information security controls and are explicitly associated with the information security management practice.

Why the other options are incorrect:

Change enablement – Focuses on ensuring that changes are properly assessed, authorized, and managed to maximize value and reduce risk; it does not specifically manage authentication or non-repudiation.

Service configuration management – Ensures that accurate and reliable information about configuration items (CIs) and their relationships is available; it is not primarily about security controls like authentication and non-repudiation.

IT asset management – Manages IT assets to maximize value and control costs and risks; again, not about authentication or non-repudiation as a primary purpose.

Therefore, the practice whose purpose includes managing authentication and non-repudiation is information security management.

The problem management practice follows a three-phase approach to reduce the likelihood and impact of incidents by identifying actual and potential causes of incidents and managing workarounds and known errors1. The three phases are:

Problem identification: the process of finding problems that are the cause or potential cause of one or more incidents2.

Problem control: the process of analysing the root cause and impact of a problem and developing a workaround or a permanent solution2.

Error control: the process of managing known errors throughout their lifecycle, from recording to removal2. References: ITIL Foundation - ITIL 4 Edition, page 15; ITIL® 4 – A Pocket Guide, page 35; ITIL® 4 Practice Guide: Problem Management, page 9.

Value Streams & Processes

The value streams and processes dimension is concerned with how the various parts of the organization work in an integrated and coordinated way to enable value creation through products and services. This dimension defines the activities, workflows, controls and procedures needed to achieve agreed objectives. What matters in service management is that an organization establishes an operating model that that effectively organizes the key activities needed to manage products and services.

Value streams

A value stream is defined as a series of steps an organization undertakes to create and deliver products and services to consumers.

Structuring the organization’s service and product portfolios around value streams allows it to have a clear picture of what it delivers and how, and to make continual improvements to its services. By mapping its value streams, an organization can identify what is critical, what introduces waste and what can be improved upon.

Processes

A process is defined as a set of interrelated or interacting activities that transform inputs into outputs.

Processes define the sequence of actions and their dependencies, as well as describe what is done to accomplish an objective. Processes are underpinned by policies and can be broken down further through procedures which outline what is done, when, and by whom.

https://www.bmc.com/blogs/itil-four-dimensions-service-management/

No service, practice, process, department, or supplier stands alone. The outputs that the organization delivers to itself, its customers, and other stakeholders will suffer unless it works in an integrated way to handle its activities as a whole, rather than as separate parts.

Taking a holistic approach to service management includes establishing an understanding of how all the parts of an organization work together in an integrated way (remember the four dimensions of service management?), including having an end-to-end visibility of how demand is captured and translated into outcomes. In a complex system, the alteration of one element can impact others and, where possible, these impacts need to be identified, analysed and planned for.

To apply this principle successfully, consider this advice:

Recognize the complexity of the systems

Collaboration is key to thinking and working holistically

Where possible, look for patterns in the needs of and interactions between system elements

Automation can facilitate working holistically

https://www.bmc.com/blogs/itil-guiding-principles/

Organizations maximize co-creation of value with their customers by facilitating the outcomes they want to achieve. The four dimensions of service management have shown that a holistic approach is the best way for an organization to:

Achieve its goals in delivering quality and cost effective services

Meet the needs of its customers

Satisfy the requirements of its stakeholders

https://www.bmc.com/blogs/itil-service-value-system/

Service management is the term used to describe how organizations manage their services to deliver value to their customers and other stakeholders. Service management requires a set of specialized organizational capabilities, such as processes, roles, tools, and competencies, that enable the effective and efficient delivery of services1. Service management is also a professional practice supported by an extensive body of knowledge, experience, and skills3. References: ITIL Foundation - ITIL 4 Edition, page 2; ITIL® 4 – A Pocket Guide, page 11.

In ITIL, there are six activities in the service value chain which represent the steps an organization takes in the creation of value:

Plan

Engage

Design and Transition

Obtain/Build

Deliver and Support

Improve

https://www.bmc.com/blogs/itil-service-value-chain/

Service management is a set of specialized organizational capabilities for enabling value for customers in the form of services. These capabilities include tangible things like capital, people, and equipment, and can also include intangible things like knowledge, management and skills. These capabilities can also include intangible things, like knowledge, management, and skills.

https://www.bmc.com/blogs/itil-key-concepts-service-management/#:~:text=Service%20management%20is%20a%20set,like%20knowledge%2C%20management%20and%20skills.

In ITIL 4, a service request is defined as a user request for information, advice, or a standard change, or for access to a service.

A user asking, “How do I create a report?” and contacting the service desk is:

Requesting information/advice

A normal, expected interaction with the service

Not reporting a service failure or interruption

Handling such requests is the purpose of the service request management practice, which ensures that:

Service requests are handled efficiently and user-friendly

Users receive help, information, or access according to agreed procedures

Requests follow pre-defined workflows where possible

Therefore, the practice most likely to help in solving this issue is C. Service request management.

Why the other options are incorrect:

A. Incident managementIncident management deals with unplanned interruptions, reductions in service quality, or failures. Here, the service is working; the user just needs guidance, not restoration of service.

B. Service level managementThis focuses on defining, negotiating, and managing service level agreements (SLAs) and overall service performance, not answering “how to” questions.

D. Change enablementThis practice manages changes to services and components, reducing risk. A user asking how to create a report is not requesting a change to the service.

References (Aligned with ITIL 4 Foundation concepts)

ITIL 4 Foundation: Definition of service request and service request management

ITIL 4 Foundation: Distinction between incidents and service requests

The purpose of the service configuration management practice is to ensure that accurate and reliable information about the configuration of services, and the CIs that support them, is available when and where it is needed. This includes information on how CIs are configured and the relationships between them.

https://wiki.process-symphony.com.au/framework/lifecycle/process/service-configuration-management-itil-4/

To set clear business-based targets for service performance, so that the delivery of a service can be properly assessed, monitored, and managed against these targets.

https://www.bmc.com/blogs/itil-management-practices/

Don’t start from scratch and build something new without considering what you already have. It’s almost always better to improve what you currently have than to throw it all away and start again, although you must also be able to recognise when a complete replacement is, in fact, needed.

Not only is this approach less wasteful than starting from scratch – because it preserves value that you already have – but it also helps you to keep your people on board. They’re much more likely to support the changes you need if their previous contributions have been appropriately valued.

Don’t rely on metrics and reports to tell you what the current situation is. When you carry out an assessment you should observe what is happening for yourself, and just use the metrics to support your observations.

https://www.sysaid.com/blog/itil/the-7-guiding-principles-of-itil-4-practical-advice-to-help-you-make-decisions

Organizations and people is one of the four dimensions of service management that influence the effectiveness and efficiency of service delivery1. This dimension focuses on the roles, responsibilities, and systems of authority that are needed to deliver and support services2. This dimension also covers the culture, skills, competencies, and collaboration of the people involved in service management3. References: ITIL Foundation - ITIL 4 Edition, page 8; ITIL® 4 – A Pocket Guide, page 19; ITIL® 4 Practice Guide: Organizational Change Management, page 7.

In ITIL 4, the service value chain is the central component of the Service Value System. It describes the set of interconnected activities an organization performs to create value in the form of products and services. The service value chain is explicitly defined as the model that outlines the key activities required to co-create value with customers and other stakeholders.

That is exactly what the question is asking: “the activities needed by an organization to help it co-create value” – which directly matches the role of the service value chain, so A is correct.

Why the other options are not correct in this context:

B. Continual improvement is a practice and a component of the Service Value System that ensures services, practices, and all components are continually improved, but it is not the central model of value-creating activities.

C. Guiding principle refers to recommendations that guide decisions and actions across all circumstances, not the activities themselves.

D. Practices are sets of organizational resources designed for performing work or accomplishing an objective; they support value creation, but they are not the component that models the end-to-end set of activities for co-creating value.

Therefore, the component focused on the activities needed to co-create value is the service value chain, making A the correct answer.

In ITIL 4, the service value chain is a central element of the service value system and is composed of six activities. Each activity transforms inputs into outputs, contributing to the overall creation of value.

Key points:

Every value chain activity takes one or more inputs (such as information, resources, or outputs from other activities).

It then performs work that transforms these inputs.

It produces one or more outputs that are used by other activities or delivered to stakeholders.

Why the other options are incorrect:

A. Inputs and outputs are fixed for each value chain activity – ITIL 4 explicitly allows for flexibility; inputs and outputs vary depending on the value stream and context.

B. Some value chain activities only have inputs, whereas others only have outputs – This contradicts the model; each activity must receive inputs and produce outputs.

C. Governance determines the inputs and outputs – Governance influences direction and controls but does not prescribe specific inputs and outputs for the value chain activities.

Therefore, the correct statement is that each value chain activity receives inputs and provides outputs.

In ITIL 4, several service consumer roles are defined to clarify how different stakeholders interact with services. These roles include customer, user, and sponsor, all of which fall under the broader term service consumer.

A user is defined as the role that uses services.

A customer is the role that defines the requirements for a service and takes responsibility for the outcomes of service consumption.

A sponsor is the role that authorizes the budget for service consumption.

A service consumer is a generic term for one or more of these roles (customer, user, sponsor).

Because the exact phrase in the question is “the role that uses services”, this matches the ITIL 4 definition of “user”, so:

C. User is the correct answer.

The other options do not match that definition:

A. Service consumer – an umbrella term, not specifically “the role that uses services”.

B. Customer – focuses on requirements and outcomes, not direct use.

D. Sponsor – focuses on funding and authorization, not use of services.

ITIL 4 Foundation: Definitions of service consumer roles – customer, user, sponsor

ITIL 4 Foundation: Key concepts of service relationships and service consumption

The continual improvement practice aligns the organization’s practices and services with changing business needs through the ongoing identification and improvement of services, service components, practices, or any element involved in the efficient and effective management of products and services1. A continual improvement register (CIR) is a tool used to track and manage improvement ideas from identification through to final action2. It helps to prioritize, monitor, and communicate the status of improvement initiatives3. The other statements are not true because:

Used to help plan changes, assist in communication avoid conflicts and assign resources: This describes the purpose of a change schedule, which is a tool used by the change enablement practice2.

Used to select the right method, model or technique for identifying improvements: This describes the purpose of a continual improvement model (CIM), which is a tool used by the continual improvement practice2.

Used to provide a formal description of one or more services designed to address the needs of a target consumer group: This describes the purpose of a service offering, which is an output of the engage activity of the service value chain1. References: ITIL Foundation - ITIL 4 Edition, page 15; ITIL® 4 – A Pocket Guide, page 34; ITIL® 4 Practice Guide: Continual Improvement, page 9.

Think and work holistically

No service, practice, process, department, or supplier stands alone. The outputs that the organization delivers to itself, its customers, and other stakeholders will suffer unless it works in an integrated way to handle its activities as a whole, rather than as separate parts.

https://www.bmc.com/blogs/itil-guiding-principles/#:~:text=5.,rather%20than%20as%20separate%20parts.

In ITIL 4, “user” is a specific stakeholder role in the context of service management.

A user is defined as:

The role that uses services.

This is distinct from other roles involved in service relationships:

A customer is typically the person or role who defines the requirements for a service and/or authorizes the budget for its consumption.

A sponsor is the person or role that authorizes the funding for service consumption.

Governance roles (such as senior management or a board) are those who direct and control the organization.

Looking at the options:

A. The role that directs and controls an organizationThis describes governance or management roles, not the user role.

B. The role that uses services ✅This exactly matches the ITIL 4 definition of a user.

C. The role that authorizes budget for service consumptionThis better matches a customer or sponsor, not a user.

D. The role that defines the requirements for a serviceThis also aligns with the customer role.

Therefore, according to ITIL 4 terminology, a user is:

The role that uses services.

So the correct answer is B.

In ITIL 4, the service desk practice is defined as the single point of contact between the service provider and its users. One of its key responsibilities is to ensure that:

Users can contact the service provider easily

There are multiple communication channels available (phone, email, chat, self-service portal, mobile app, etc.)

Calls, messages, and contacts from users about incidents, service requests, and inquiries are captured and handled

This means the service desk is the practice that guarantees users have a range of access channels to report problems and requests.

Why the other options are not correct:

B. Service level managementFocuses on setting, agreeing, and managing service level targets and ensuring that services meet agreed performance levels. It does not primarily manage user contact channels.

C. Incident managementFocuses on restoring normal service operation as quickly as possible after incidents occur. It uses information gathered by the service desk but does not itself guarantee multiple channels for users.

D. Change enablementDeals with ensuring that changes are properly evaluated, authorized, and managed. It is not about user-facing communication channels.

Therefore, A. Service desk is correct because it is explicitly responsible for providing and managing the channels through which users report issues and make requests.

References (ITIL 4 Foundation):

ITIL® Foundation: ITIL 4 Edition – Service desk practice (purpose and key activities)

ITIL® Foundation: ITIL 4 Edition – Overview of incident management and relationship with the service desk

“Service desk staff require training and competency across a number of broad technical and business areas. In particular, they need to demonstrate excellent customer service skills such as empathy, incident analysis and prioritization, effective communication, and emotional intelligence.

https://www.servicedeskinstitute.com/the-case-for-itil4-foundation-service-desk-analyst-training/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CService%20desk%20staff%20require%20training,effective%20communication%2C%20and%20emotional%20intelligence.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

ITIL 4 defines four dimensions of service management that are critical for the effective and efficient co-creation of value:

Organizations and people

Information and technology

Partners and suppliers

Value streams and processes

The “Organizations and people” dimension addresses:

Organizational structure – how the organization is arranged.

Roles and responsibilities – who does what and who is accountable.

Systems of authority and communication – how decisions are made and communicated.

Culture and competencies – behaviors, skills, and capabilities of people involved in service management.

Because this dimension specifically covers roles, responsibilities, and systems of authority, the correct answer is A. Organizations and people.

The other dimensions focus on different aspects:

Information and technology – data, information, and technological solutions used in service management.

Partners and suppliers – relationships and agreements with third parties that support service delivery.

Value streams and processes – how activities and processes are organized to create and deliver value.

Relevant ITIL 4 Foundation references:

The four dimensions of service management chapter.

Detailed description of the “Organizations and people” dimension (structure, roles, responsibilities, authority).

In ITIL 4, service relationships involve shared risks between service provider and service consumer. Both parties contribute to risk management.

Service consumers help mitigate risk by:

Clearly understanding and communicating their requirements

Being explicit about constraints, acceptable levels of performance, and critical outcomes

Ensuring that the provider knows what is truly needed, so services can be designed and delivered appropriately

Option C: “By being fully aware of their own requirements for the service” aligns with this: when consumers understand and clearly state their requirements, ambiguity and misalignment are reduced, which directly reduces risk in the service relationship.

Why the other options are incorrect:

A. Through the provision of services according to predefined needsProvision of services is the role of the service provider, not the consumer.

B. By ensuring that the service provider has configured correctly its resourcesResource configuration is the provider’s responsibility. The consumer may give feedback, but they don’t “ensure” correct configuration.

D. By controlling the specific level of risk on the service provider’s behalfThe provider manages its own risks. Risks are shared, but the consumer does not control the provider’s internal risk levels. The consumer contributes by clarifying requirements and using services as agreed.

References (Aligned with ITIL 4 Foundation concepts)

ITIL 4 Foundation: Service relationships – shared responsibility and shared risks between provider and consumer

ITIL 4 Foundation: Importance of clear requirements and expectations in reducing risks and enabling value co-creation

The purpose of the continual improvement practice is to align the organization’s practices and services with changing business needs through the ongoing identification and improvement of services, service components, practices, or any element involved in the efficient and effective management of products and services1. This practice needs the right culture to be embedded across the entire organization, as it requires a shared vision, commitment, empowerment, collaboration, learning, and measurement2. References: ITIL Foundation - ITIL 4 Edition, page 15; ITIL® 4 – A Pocket Guide, page 34; ITIL® 4 Practice Guide: Continual Improvement, page 7.

In ITIL 4, the service level management practice is responsible for setting clear, agreed targets for service performance and ensuring that services are delivered in line with these targets.

A key tool used in this practice is the service level agreement (SLA). An SLA is an agreement between a service provider and a customer that:

Defines the expected level of service

Documents specific, measurable service targets (such as availability, response time, resolution time)

Provides a basis to monitor and measure performance against those targets

Because SLAs describe measurable service targets and are used to assess whether the service provider is meeting those targets, they are explicitly used as a tool to help define and measure performance. This aligns directly with the wording in the question.

A. A continual improvement register (CIR)The CIR is used in the continual improvement practice to record, track, and manage improvement opportunities and activities. It supports managing improvements, not defining and measuring service performance targets.

B. An incident recordThis belongs to the incident management practice. Incident records are used to log, manage, and track incidents (unplanned interruptions or reductions in service). They are not designed as tools to define or measure ongoing service performance.

C. A change schedulePart of the change enablement practice, the change schedule is used to plan and communicate the timing of changes. It coordinates when changes will occur but does not define or measure service performance levels.

Therefore, the correct answer is D. A service level agreement, as it is the formal tool used to define and measure service performance in ITIL 4.

ITIL 4 Foundation: Service level management practice – purpose and key terms (including service level agreements)

ITIL 4 Foundation: Concept of SLAs as documents that define and measure service performance targets

ITIL 4 Foundation: Overviews of Continual Improvement, Incident Management, and Change Enablement practices and their key records (CIR, incident records, change schedules)

A service level agreement (SLA) is a documented agreement between a service provider and a customer that identifies both services required and the expected level of service1. A necessity to a successful SLA is that the language and terms used in the SLA should be commonly understood by all parties, to avoid ambiguity, confusion, and disputes2. The other statements are not true because:

Base the SLA on system-based metrics that are useful to the service provider: The SLA should be based on customer-based metrics that are meaningful to the customer and reflect the value of the service2.

In order to promote consistent service, they should be carried forward, unchanged, from one year to the next: The SLA should be reviewed and updated regularly to reflect changing business needs, customer expectations, and service performance2.

Vague targets, such as those related to user experience should be avoided: The SLA should include both quantitative and qualitative targets, such as those related to user experience, satisfaction, and perception, as well as availability, reliability, and security2. References: ITIL Foundation - ITIL 4 Edition, page 16; ITIL® 4 – A Pocket Guide, page 37; ITIL® 4 Practice Guide: Service Level Management, page 8.

The change schedule is used to help plan changes, assist in communication, avoid conflicts, and assign resources. It can also be used after changes have been deployed to provide information needed for incident management, problem management, and improvement planning

https://www.bmc.com/blogs/itil-change-enablement/#:~:text=The%20change%20schedule%20is%20used,problem%20management%2C%20and%20improvement%20planning.

In ITIL 4, the IT asset management practice is concerned with managing IT assets so that their value is maximized, and financial, legal, and operational risks are controlled. An IT asset is defined as any financially valuable component that can contribute to the delivery of a service.

The purpose of IT asset management includes:

Making sure IT assets are used effectively

Ensuring that IT assets are accounted for and controlled

Supporting decision-making about purchase, re-use, retirement, and disposal of IT assets

This matches option B exactly:

“Supporting decision-making about purchase, re-use, retirement, and disposal of assets.”

Why the other options are not correct:

A. Moving assets to live or other environments for testing or stagingThis is part of deployment management, whose purpose is to move new or changed components to live or test environments.

C. Making new and changed assets available for useThis relates more to release management and deployment management — getting releases into use and making them available to customers and users.

D. Providing information on how assets are configured and the relationships between themThis is the core of service configuration management, which focuses on configuration items, their attributes, and relationships in configuration records (often stored in a CMDB or CMIS).

Therefore, B is correct because it reflects the core decision-support and lifecycle focus of IT asset management.

References (ITIL 4 Foundation):

ITIL® Foundation: ITIL 4 Edition – Practice guide overview, IT Asset Management (purpose and definition of IT assets)

ITIL® Foundation: ITIL 4 Edition – Summary of the 15 ITIL practices