Recommended Strategies for an Effective Performance Improvement Process for IT Services | CISA Exam

B.

An effective performance improvement process for IT services requires careful planning and implementation to ensure that the organization's goals are met. Of the options presented, the IS auditor should recommend that management accepts accountability for achieving performance goals as the most critical factor.

Explanation:

A. Progress on performance goals is regularly reported to the board. While reporting progress on performance goals to the board is important, it is not the most critical factor in an effective performance improvement process. This is because simply reporting progress does not guarantee that the goals are being achieved, and the focus should be on taking action to improve performance rather than just reporting on it.

B. The performance goals are aligned with a commonly accepted framework. Aligning performance goals with a commonly accepted framework is important, as it ensures that the goals are relevant and appropriate to the organization's objectives. However, this factor is not the most critical, as even with a well-aligned framework, performance goals may not be achieved without the proper accountability and implementation.

C. Root cause analysis of service issues is used to develop performance goals. Using root cause analysis of service issues to develop performance goals is a good practice, as it helps to identify underlying problems and address them effectively. However, this factor alone is not the most critical, as identifying root causes alone does not necessarily lead to achieving performance goals.

D. Management accepts accountability for achieving performance goals. Of the options presented, this is the most critical factor in an effective performance improvement process for IT services. This is because management accountability ensures that the goals are taken seriously and that the necessary resources and efforts are made to achieve them. Without accountability, performance goals are unlikely to be achieved, even with a well-aligned framework and root cause analysis of service issues. Therefore, the IS auditor should recommend that management accepts accountability for achieving performance goals as the most critical factor.