Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Foundation Practice Exam

What is the primary purpose of problem management?

1. To understand the root cause of one or more incidents and identify a fix

2. To manage major incidents

3. To restore service quickly and minimize the adverse impact on business operations

4. To provide a workaround on all problems

The correct answer is: To understand the root cause of one or more incidents and identify a fix

The primary purpose of problem management is to understand the root cause of one or more incidents and identify a fix. This aspect of problem management is critical because it focuses on eliminating the underlying reasons that cause incidents rather than just addressing the immediate symptoms. By identifying and resolving the root causes, problem management aims to prevent incidents from recurring in the future, which enhances the overall stability and reliability of IT services. This process involves analyzing incidents, gathering data, and conducting investigations, ultimately leading to a deeper understanding of the issues at hand and the implementation of long-term solutions. Other choices highlight important aspects of IT service management but do not encapsulate the primary goal of problem management itself. Managing major incidents emphasizes a reactive approach rather than the proactive analysis required by problem management. Restoring service quickly is more aligned with incident management, which focuses on immediate responses to service interruptions. Providing workarounds pertains to temporary solutions, which is a part of problem management, but the core purpose is more about finding permanent fixes to prevent recurrence.