Information-Technology-Management WGU Information Technology Management QGC1 Questions and Answers

Purpose of the IT Strategy Board:

The IT Strategy Board acts as agovernance bodyresponsible for aligning IT initiatives with organizational strategy.

Its primary goals include:

Identifying new technologies and trends that can benefit the organization.

Making recommendations to improve IT processes, resources, and outcomes.

Key Roles of the IT Strategy Board:

Discover and review IT developments (C):Ensures the organization stays ahead in technology adoption.

Recommend opportunities and actions (D):Provides actionable insights to maximize IT's contribution to business success.

Incorrect Options Analysis:

A:Reporting issues to the CIO is an operational activity, not a strategic role.

B:Budget oversight is part of project or financial management, not the board’s primary responsibility.

E:Hiring decisions typically fall under HR, not the IT Strategy Board.

References and Documents of Information Technology Management:

"IT Governance and Strategy Boards" (Gartner).

ITIL Service Strategy: Governance Best Practices (Axelos).

Common Risks of Outsourcing Software Development:

One of the most significant risks is the potential forbreaches of confidential information.

Outsourcing often involves sharing sensitive company data with third-party vendors, increasing the risk ofdata misuse or leaks.

Why This Risk is Common:

Outsourcing partners may not have the same level of security measures as the organization.

Compliance issues can arise if vendors do not adhere to industry regulations.

Incorrect Options Analysis:

B. High cost of developers' salaries:Outsourcing is generally cost-effective compared to in-house salaries.

C. Lack of flexibility:Many outsourcing providers are designed to adapt to changes.

D. Short-term contracts:While challenging, these are manageable compared to confidentiality risks.

References and Documents of Information Technology Management:

"Mitigating Outsourcing Risks: Confidentiality and Compliance" (Gartner).

ISO/IEC 27001 Security Standards (Data Protection in Outsourcing).

Increased Carbon Emissions:

Technology relies on electricity, often generated from fossil fuels, leading to higher carbon emissions.

The production, transportation, and disposal of electronic devices contribute to the carbon footprint.

Increased Energy Consumption:

Expanded use of technology leads to higher energy demands for operating servers, cooling data centers, and powering devices.

The rise of 24/7 technology operations has amplified global energy consumption.

Why Other Options Are Incorrect:

Option A:The lifespan of technology tends to shorten due to rapid advancements and planned obsolescence.

Option C:While more devices are purchased, this does not directly indicate an ecological result.

Option D:Electronic waste has increased, not decreased, due to growing technology adoption and lack of recycling initiatives.

References:

"Technology and Environmental Sustainability" – UN Environment Programme

IT Sustainability Guidelines, Green IT Framework

Definition of Project Assumption:

A project assumption is afactor considered true, real, or certain without proof or demonstrationduring planning.

Examples include assuming key resources will be available or that technology will function as expected.

Importance in Planning:

Assumptions help estimate timelines, budgets, and risks.

They must be documented and validated regularly to mitigate potential issues.

Incorrect Options Analysis:

A. Project Requirements:Defined needs and expectations, not assumptions.

B. Project Theory:Not a recognized term in project management.

D. Project Objective:Refers to the desired outcome, not an unproven factor.

References and Documents of Information Technology Management:

PMBOK Guide (Project Assumptions and Constraints).

ITIL Planning and Risk Management Framework (Axelos).

Primary Elements of Information Infrastructure:

Business Continuity Plans (BCP):Ensure that critical business operations continue during and after a disruption.

Disaster Recovery Plans (DRP):Focus on restoring IT systems and data after a disaster.

Backup and Recovery Plans:Protect against data loss and enable data restoration after failures.

Why Other Options Are Incorrect:

Option B (Augmentation plans):Not a standard element of information infrastructure.

Option C (Authentication plans):Authentication is part of security protocols, not infrastructure support.

References:

IT Continuity and Disaster Recovery Frameworks – ISO 22301

Backup and Recovery Best Practices – NIST

Definition of Project Scope:

Project scope describes thebusiness needs, justification, requirements, and boundariesof a project.

It defineswhat is included and excludedin the project, ensuring all stakeholders have a shared understanding of the project's goals and deliverables.

Purpose of Defining Scope:

Prevents scope creep by clearly defining project boundaries.

Ensures the project aligns with business objectives and stakeholder expectations.

Incorrect Options Analysis:

B. Project Management:Refers to the overall process of planning, executing, and closing a project.

C. Project Milestone:Represents significant points in the project timeline, not boundaries or requirements.

D. Project Plan:A document detailing how the project will be executed, monitored, and controlled.

References and Documents of Information Technology Management:

PMBOK Guide (Project Management Institute).

ITIL Project Planning Framework (Axelos).

Definition of Information Privacy Policy:

An Information Privacy Policy explains how an organization collects, uses, discloses, and managescustomer or client data.

It addresses data protection, compliance with legal requirements (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA), and organizational transparency.

Purpose of an Information Privacy Policy:

Ensures customers know how their personal data is handled.

Builds trust and promotes ethical data usage practices.

Incorrect Options Analysis:

Email Privacy:Covers email communications but not broader data practices.

Social Media:Focuses on employee behavior on social platforms, not customer data.

Acceptable Use:Addresses general IT use policies, not specifically data privacy.

References and Documents of Information Technology Management:

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Documentation.

ISO/IEC 27018: Cloud Privacy Framework (ISO Standards).

ITIL Foundation: Privacy Management in Service Design (Axelos Publications).

Definition of Green Computers:

Agreen computeris designed usingenvironmentally friendly materialsand technologies aimed at reducing the environmental footprint. These computers prioritize energy efficiency, recyclability, and sustainable production practices.

Features of Green Computers:

Use of recyclable and non-toxic materials.

Energy-efficient components to minimize power consumption.

Adherence to environmental standards likeEnergy StarandEPEATcertifications.

Incorrect Options Analysis:

Workstation, Personal, and Serverdescribe categories based on usage or functionality, not environmental considerations.

References and Documents of Information Technology Management:

"Green IT and Sustainability" (Gartner Whitepaper).

Energy Star Certification Guidelines (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency).

Understanding Team Friction:

Team friction often arises due to a lack of communication, recognition, or conflicting goals.

Building a positive work culture where team members feel valued can reduce friction and improve collaboration.

Creating a Culture of Appreciation:

Regularly acknowledging contributions fosters trust and teamwork.

It encourages positive behavior and strengthens team bonds.

Why Other Options Are Incorrect:

Option A:Weekly feedback is useful but does not address the root causes of friction.

Option C:Nurturing competition can exacerbate conflicts and harm collaboration.

Option D:Anonymous feedback might provide insights but does not directly alleviate friction.

References:

"Building Effective Teams" – Harvard Business Review

Employee Engagement and Team Culture Strategies – Gallup

Understanding the Bullwhip Effect:

The bullwhip effect occurs when small fluctuations in consumer demand lead to exaggerated changes in inventory levels up the supply chain.

Miscommunication or poor demand forecasting amplifies these effects, causing overproduction or stockpiling.

Why Other Options Are Incorrect:

Option B:Refers to supply chain optimization, which is unrelated to the bullwhip effect.

Option C:Describes the maker movement, not the bullwhip effect.

Option D:Describes the network effect, unrelated to supply chain dynamics.

References:

"The Bullwhip Effect in Supply Chain Management" – MIT Sloan

Supply Chain Dynamics and Bullwhip Effect – Harvard Business Review

Planning Phase in SDLC:

Theplanning phaseis the foundational step in the SDLC whereproject strategy, objectives, and goalsare defined.

Key deliverables include a high-level project roadmap, scope definition, and resource allocation plans.

Purpose of the Planning Phase:

Ensures all stakeholders agree on the project objectives.

Sets the stage for subsequent phases by identifying potential risks, timelines, and budgets.

Incorrect Options Analysis:

A. Corrections, additions, upgrades:Part of the maintenance phase.

B. Descriptions of features:Occurs in the design or analysis phase.

D. Checking interoperability:Occurs in the integration or testing phase.

References and Documents of Information Technology Management:

"SDLC Best Practices for Project Planning" (Gartner).

ITIL Framework for Project Planning (Axelos).

Understanding the Scenario:

The company is shifting focus from mass marketing to personalized marketing, targeting individual customers with tailored offerings.

Role of CRM:

CRM systems gather and analyze customer data, including purchase history, preferences, and interactions, to personalize marketing strategies.

CRM tools help businesses cross-sell and upsell products effectively by understanding customer needs.

Why Other Options Are Incorrect:

Option A (DM):Distribution management focuses on the logistics of product delivery.

Option C (SCM):Supply chain management optimizes production and delivery, not marketing.

Option D (OM):Operations management focuses on internal processes rather than customer interactions.

References:

"The Role of CRM in Modern Marketing" – Forrester

CRM Best Practices Guide – Salesforce

Understanding the Development Phase in SDLC:

The development phase involves translating system design specifications into actual software.

This includes coding the system using programming languages and integrating modules as per the design.

Why Other Options Are Incorrect:

Option B:Describes the maintenance phase, which focuses on updates and corrections post-deployment.

Option C:Relates to the testing phase, where interoperability and functionality are verified.

Option D:Refers to the implementation phase, where the system is deployed for user operations.

References:

SDLC Phases Explained – NIST SP 800-64

"Software Development Life Cycle Best Practices" – IEEE

Definition of Transaction Processing System (TPS):

A TPS handles theday-to-day business transactionsof an organization, such as sales, payroll, order processing, and inventory tracking.

It is designed foroperational-level analystswho need to process large volumes of routine transactions efficiently.

Purpose of TPS:

Ensures the integrity and accuracy of business transactions.

Provides operational data required for other systems like Decision Support Systems (DSS) or Management Information Systems (MIS).

Incorrect Options Analysis:

A. Optimization Analysis System (OAS):Not a standard system type in IT management.

B. Decision Support System (DSS):Focuses on tactical and strategic decision-making.

D. Executive Information System (EIS):Caters to high-level executives, not operational-level analysts.

References and Documents of Information Technology Management:

"Foundations of IT Systems" (McGraw-Hill Education).

ITIL Foundation Documentation (Axelos).

Role of a Trusted Third Party:

Trusted third parties, like Certificate Authorities (CAs), validate the correlation between users and public keys.

They ensure secure communication by providing authentication (verifying user identity) and authorization (granting access rights).

Advantages in Disaster Recovery Planning:

Simplifies secure communication during recovery processes.

Provides a trusted mechanism for verifying identities and preventing unauthorized access.

Why Other Options Are Incorrect:

Option A (Monitors enclosures):Not related to public key verification.

Option B (Protects against encrypted attacks):While encryption enhances security, it is not the purpose of a trusted third party.

Option D (Features full-time monitoring):Not a function of trusted third parties like CAs.

References:

Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) Best Practices – NIST SP 800-32

Role of Trusted Third Parties in Disaster Recovery – Gartner Research

Understanding CRM Phases:

CRM systems encompass phases such as reporting, analyzing, and predicting to support business operations and decision-making.

Thepredicting phaseuses historical data to forecast future trends, behaviors, or requirements.

Application in the Scenario:

The inventory manager is using CRM data to forecast how much inventory to pre-order for a sales promotion, aligning with the predicting phase.

This involves evaluating past sales trends and customer behaviors to anticipate demand.

Why Other Options Are Incorrect:

Option B (Defining):This phase does not exist in CRM processes.

Option C (Reporting):Reporting provides data summaries but does not forecast future needs.

Option D (Analyzing):Analyzing focuses on identifying patterns but stops short of prediction.

References:

CRM Process Phases – Gartner

"Predictive Analytics in CRM" – Salesforce