ITIL4-DPI ITIL 4 Strategist: Direct, Plan and Improve (DPI) Questions and Answers

In DPI, KPIs must beSMART(Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound). Option B is the only one that fully meets SMART criteria:

Specific (user satisfaction with the application),

Measurable (30% increase),

Achievable (reasonable improvement target),

Relevant (directly tied to usability),

Time-bound (six months).

Options A and D lack measurable objectivity, while C is too broad and long-term.

(Reference: ITIL® 4 Strategist DPI, section on "Measurement and reporting – setting SMART objectives and KPIs")

According to DPI, thecontinual improvement team’s role is to promote a culture of improvementacross the organization. Their purpose is not to own every improvement but toempower all staff to recognize and propose improvements. By enabling knowledge, training, and cultural reinforcement, they encourage everyone to participate. Options A and C are too narrow, and D is too rigid since the continual improvement model isguidance, not a strict sequence.

(Reference: ITIL® 4 Strategist DPI, section on "Continual improvement culture and responsibilities")

In DPI,scope of controlrefers to theauthority and influence a manager has over people and activities. It defines how far their decision-making power extends—essential for ensuring clarity in governance and accountability. It is not about risks owned (B), reporting relationships (D), or specific improvement content (A).

(Reference: ITIL® 4 Strategist DPI, section on "Governance structures – scope of control vs. span of control")

DPI clarifies thatgovernance always comes from the organization’s governing body. Internal service providers do not operate independently; they must follow the governance structures of the parent organization. They may only self-governif explicitly delegated authority. Option A is incorrect (governance covers internal and external). Option B is false—governance always applies. Option D is misleading; theSVS supports governance, not replaces it.

(Reference: ITIL® 4 Strategist DPI, section on "Governance in internal and external service provider contexts")

DPI stresses that KPIs should directly measureprogress toward the defined success factor. Here, the success factor isimproved user satisfaction with the service desk. Increasing the number of calls resolvedwithout escalation(Option B) directly contributes to satisfaction: faster resolutions, fewer transfers, and better customer experience. Options A and C measure efficiency but not directly user satisfaction. Option D worsens satisfaction by increasing wait times.

(Reference: ITIL® 4 Strategist DPI, section on "Defining and measuring critical success factors and KPIs")

In DPI, thecontinual improvement modelstresses the importance ofcapturing lessons learnedto ensure that successes and failures inform future work. By creating alessons learned reportduring project closure, the organization systematically records challenges, inefficiencies, and solutions. This enables organizational learning and prevents repeating mistakes. SWOT (B) and communication planning (D) are useful tools, but they do not directly address past project issues. Customer satisfaction analysis (C) focuses on user experience, not internal resource challenges.

(Reference: ITIL® 4 Strategist DPI, section on "Continual improvement feedback and learning loops")

ITIL DPI emphasizes thatobjectives must cascade logically from strategy into actionable plans. Since the strategic goal is to launch anew cloud storage service, the technical objective must directly support that initiative. “Design and implement new infrastructure by the end of quarter 2” is aligned, measurable, and time-bound. The other options either do not directly relate to the cloud service (B, C) or are ongoing operational metrics (A), not strategic enablers.

(Reference: ITIL® 4 Strategist DPI, section on "Cascading objectives and alignment with strategy")

DPI emphasizes thatpolicies must be co-created and supported across all stakeholdersto be effective. By ensuring all teams involved in incident resolution collaborate in developing the policy, the organization promotesbuy-in, shared ownership, and alignment. Excluding exceptions (A) may cause operational issues, C undermines collaboration, and D risks overcomplication.Collaborative designis a principle of both OCM and DPI governance.

(Reference: ITIL® 4 Strategist DPI, section on "Policy creation – stakeholder involvement and collaboration")

In DPI,alignment is achieved through cascading objectives: breaking down high-level organizational goals into increasingly detailed objectives at each layer of the organization. This ensures thatevery division, team, and activity is aligned to the overall strategic vision. Compliance controls (A) only enforce uniformity, not alignment. Risk prioritization (B) is important but narrower in scope. Collecting feedback (D) helps communication but does not ensure systematic alignment.

(Reference: ITIL® 4 Strategist DPI, section on "Cascading objectives and alignment of organizational layers")