COBIT 2019 Foundation Interview Questions

The COBIT 2019 Foundation certification is the most important step toward achieving strategic goals, improving operational effectiveness, and achieving business benefits. So, in order to impress the interview panel, you must have the underlying knowledge required to properly control and manage business information and technology. You should also have a thorough grasp of how to build, improve, and maintain effective corporate information and technology governance and management.

You will be able to prepare more efficiently if you are familiar with some of the most prevalent subjects that come up in COBIT 2019 Foundation interviews. Here is a selection of the most frequently asked COBIT 2019 Foundation interview questions. So, let’s get started!

Advanced Interview Questions

What are the five governance and management domains in COBIT 2019?

The five governance and management domains in COBIT 2019 are:

1. Governance of Enterprise IT (GEIT): This domain focuses on the overall governance of IT in the organization, including the development of IT governance policies, the definition of roles and responsibilities, and the alignment of IT with the organization’s overall strategy and goals.
2. Governance of Information (GOI): This domain focuses on the management of information as a strategic asset, including the protection of sensitive information, the management of information quality, and the compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
3. Governance of IT Services (GIT): This domain focuses on the delivery of IT services to the organization, including the management of service levels, the management of service continuity, and the management of IT service providers.
4. Governance of IT Infrastructure (GII): This domain focuses on the management of the IT infrastructure, including the management of hardware, software, and networks, the management of IT security, and the management of IT operations.
5. Governance of Applications (GOA): This domain focuses on the management of applications, including the management of software development, the management of software maintenance, and the management of software licensing.

Each of these domains includes a set of processes, practices, and controls that organizations can use to achieve their IT governance goals. The COBIT framework also provides guidance on how to implement and maintain these domains over time, as well as how to measure and report on the effectiveness of IT governance in the organization.

How is the COBIT process model structured?

The COBIT process model is structured in a hierarchical manner, with four levels of processes: governance, management, operation, and assessment.

1. Governance processes: These processes are at the highest level and are used to provide overall direction and guidance for the management and operation of IT. They include processes such as IT strategy, policy development, and compliance management.
2. Management processes: These processes are used to manage the IT environment and support the implementation of the IT strategy. They include processes such as IT governance, IT organization and staffing, and IT portfolio management.
3. Operation processes: These processes are used to deliver the services and products that are required to meet the needs of the organization. They include processes such as service level management, incident management, and problem management.
4. Assessment processes: These processes are used to evaluate the effectiveness of the IT environment and to identify areas for improvement. They include processes such as internal audit, compliance assessment, and security management.

Each level of the process model is linked to the level above and below it, with the governance processes providing overall direction and guidance, the management processes implementing that direction, the operation processes delivering the services and products, and the assessment processes evaluating the effectiveness of the IT environment.

Each process in the model is further defined by a set of objectives, inputs, activities, outputs, and metrics, which describe what the process should achieve, what information and resources are required, what actions should be taken, what results should be produced, and how the process should be measured.

The COBIT process model is designed to be flexible, so that it can be adapted to the specific needs of an organization. It is also designed to be integrated with other IT governance frameworks and standards, such as ISO/IEC 38500, ITIL, and ISO 27001.

How does COBIT support the management of risks and opportunities in an organization?

COBIT (Control Objectives for Information and related Technology) is a framework that helps organizations manage risks and opportunities related to the use of information and technology. The framework provides a structured approach for identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks, as well as for identifying and capitalizing on opportunities.

One of the key ways that COBIT supports risk management is through its process model, which includes a specific process for risk management (PRM – Process Reference Model). This process provides a systematic approach for identifying and assessing risks, as well as for developing and implementing risk mitigation strategies. The process includes several specific activities, such as:

• Identifying potential risks: This includes identifying risks that may impact the organization’s objectives, as well as the likelihood and impact of those risks.
• Assessing risks: This includes evaluating the potential impact of identified risks on the organization, as well as the likelihood of those risks occurring.
• Developing risk mitigation strategies: This includes developing strategies to mitigate the risks identified in the assessment step, such as implementing controls, transferring risks, or avoiding risks altogether.
• Implementing risk mitigation strategies: This includes implementing the risk mitigation strategies developed in the previous step, such as implementing controls, transferring risks, or avoiding risks altogether.
• Monitoring and evaluating risks: This includes monitoring the effectiveness of the risk management process and the risk mitigation strategies implemented, as well as evaluating the impact of those strategies on the organization’s objectives.

In addition to the risk management process, COBIT also provides guidance on how to identify and capitalize on opportunities. One key way that COBIT supports this is through its governance and management domains, which include a specific domain for “Opportunity management” (OM), which provides guidance on how to identify and capitalize on opportunities that may align with the organization’s objectives. This includes guidelines on how to identify opportunities and assess their potential impact, as well as how to develop and implement strategies to capitalize on them.

Overall, COBIT provides a comprehensive approach for managing risks and opportunities that can help organizations align the use of information and technology with their overall business objectives.

How does COBIT support the implementation of IT controls?

COBIT (Control Objectives for Information and related Technology) is a framework that provides a comprehensive approach to IT governance and management. It helps organizations to align IT with their overall business objectives and ensure that IT controls are in place to protect the organization’s assets and interests.

COBIT supports the implementation of IT controls in several ways:

1. It provides a framework for identifying and evaluating risks associated with IT systems and processes. This helps organizations to prioritize their IT controls based on the level of risk they pose.
2. It provides a set of best practices for IT control design and implementation. These best practices are based on industry standards and are designed to be practical and easy to implement.
3. It provides a set of metrics for measuring the effectiveness of IT controls. These metrics help organizations to assess the effectiveness of their controls and identify areas for improvement.
4. It provides a governance structure that allows organizations to effectively manage and monitor their IT controls. This includes roles and responsibilities for IT governance, as well as processes for decision-making and monitoring.

Overall, COBIT helps organizations to implement IT controls that are effective, efficient, and aligned with their overall business objectives.

How does COBIT support the monitoring and evaluation of IT performance?

COBIT (Control Objectives for Information and related Technology) is a framework for IT governance that provides guidance for managing and monitoring IT performance. COBIT includes a set of processes and best practices for evaluating the performance of IT systems and ensuring that they align with the overall goals and objectives of the organization.

One of the key ways in which COBIT supports the monitoring and evaluation of IT performance is through the use of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). COBIT includes a set of predefined KPIs that can be used to measure the performance of IT systems and processes, such as availability, security, and compliance. These KPIs can be used to track the performance of IT systems over time and identify areas where improvements are needed.

Another way that COBIT supports the monitoring and evaluation of IT performance is through the use of IT governance metrics. These metrics are designed to measure the effectiveness of IT governance processes and can be used to identify areas where improvements are needed. For example, metrics such as IT budget to revenue ratio or IT service level agreements (SLA) compliance can be used to evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of IT systems.

COBIT also includes a process for monitoring and evaluating IT performance through regular IT governance reviews. These reviews provide an opportunity to review the performance of IT systems and processes, identify any issues or areas for improvement, and take corrective action as needed. These reviews can be conducted at regular intervals, such as annually or quarterly, and can involve a range of stakeholders, including IT management, business management, and internal audit.

In summary, COBIT provides a framework for monitoring and evaluating IT performance by providing guidance on how to measure and track the performance of IT systems and processes, and how to take corrective action as needed. This helps to ensure that IT systems are aligned with the overall goals and objectives of the organization and that performance is continuously improved over time.

How does COBIT support the management of IT-related incidents and problems?

COBIT (Control Objectives for Information and related Technology) is a framework that provides guidance for the management of IT-related incidents and problems. It is designed to help organizations manage IT-related risks and ensure that IT systems are aligned with the overall business objectives. The framework provides a comprehensive approach to IT governance, management, and control.

One of the key ways that COBIT supports the management of IT-related incidents and problems is through its risk management framework. This framework provides a structured approach to identifying, assessing, and managing IT-related risks. It includes a process for assessing the likelihood and impact of potential incidents and problems, as well as a process for identifying and implementing controls to mitigate these risks.

Another way that COBIT supports the management of IT-related incidents and problems is through its incident management framework. This framework provides a structured approach to managing IT-related incidents, including incident identification, classification, response, and resolution. It also includes a process for conducting root cause analysis and implementing corrective actions to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.

COBIT also provides guidance on IT problem management, which includes a process for identifying and resolving recurring issues that may be causing disruptions to IT services. This process includes identifying the root cause of problems, implementing corrective actions, and monitoring the effectiveness of these actions.

Overall, COBIT provides a comprehensive approach to managing IT-related incidents and problems. By following the framework’s guidance, organizations can effectively identify and manage IT-related risks, respond to incidents in a timely and effective manner, and resolve problems to prevent recurring disruptions. This helps organizations to maintain the availability and reliability of their IT systems, which is critical for achieving their overall business objectives.

How is COBIT used to improve IT governance in an organization?

COBIT provides a comprehensive approach to managing and governing information technology (IT) in an organization. It is designed to help organizations align their IT operations with their overall business goals and objectives, and to ensure that IT is being used effectively and efficiently to support the organization’s mission and vision.

One of the key ways that COBIT is used to improve IT governance in an organization is through its focus on process management. COBIT provides a set of best practice processes for managing IT, including processes for planning and organizing, acquiring and implementing, delivering and supporting, and monitoring and evaluating IT services. These processes are designed to help organizations ensure that their IT operations are aligned with their business goals and objectives, and that they are being used in a way that is consistent with the organization’s overall strategy.

Another way that COBIT improves IT governance is by providing a framework for risk management. COBIT includes a set of best practice controls that organizations can use to identify and manage risks associated with their IT operations. This includes controls for identifying and assessing risks, implementing mitigation strategies, and monitoring and reporting on risk management activities.

COBIT also helps organizations to improve IT governance by providing a framework for IT governance and management. COBIT includes a set of best practice controls that organizations can use to ensure that their IT operations are aligned with their overall business goals and objectives. This includes controls for setting IT governance policies, managing IT resources, and communicating with stakeholders about IT governance activities.

Finally, COBIT helps organizations to improve IT governance by providing a framework for IT performance measurement. COBIT includes a set of best practice controls that organizations can use to measure the effectiveness and efficiency of their IT operations. This includes controls for monitoring and reporting on IT performance, and for using performance data to make decisions about IT investments and operations.

Overall, COBIT is a powerful tool that organizations can use to improve IT governance in a number of ways. By providing a comprehensive approach to managing and governing IT, COBIT helps organizations ensure that their IT operations are aligned with their overall business goals and objectives, and that they are being used effectively and efficiently to support the organization’s mission and vision.

Can you describe the COBIT assessment methodologies?

COBIT (Control Objectives for Information and related Technology) offers several assessment methodologies to help organizations evaluate their IT governance and management practices. These methodologies include:

1. Process Assessment Model (PAM) – PAM is a framework that provides a structured approach to evaluating the maturity of an organization’s IT processes. It includes a set of best practices and maturity models that organizations can use to evaluate their own IT processes against.
2. Governance Assessment Model (GAM) – GAM is a framework that provides a structured approach to evaluating the governance of an organization’s IT function. It includes a set of best practices and governance models that organizations can use to evaluate their own IT governance against.
3. Control Assessment Model (CAM) – CAM is a framework that provides a structured approach to evaluating the effectiveness of an organization’s IT controls. It includes a set of best practices and control models that organizations can use to evaluate their own IT controls against.
4. IT Assurance Framework (ITAF) – ITAF is a framework that provides a structured approach to evaluating the effectiveness of an organization’s IT assurance activities. It includes a set of best practices and assurance models that organizations can use to evaluate their own IT assurance activities against.
5. Risk Assessment and Mitigation (RAM) – RAM is a framework that provides a structured approach to assessing and mitigating IT risks. It includes a set of best practices and risk management models that organizations can use to evaluate their own IT risk management activities against.

These assessment methodologies are designed to be flexible and adaptable to the specific needs and requirements of an organization, and can be used in a variety of different ways, depending on the organization’s specific IT governance and management needs.

What is the COBIT Val IT framework and what are its objectives?

COBIT Val IT is a framework for managing and optimizing the value of IT investments. It is designed to complement the COBIT framework, which focuses on IT governance and management, by providing guidance on how to measure and optimize the value that IT investments deliver to an organization. The main objectives of COBIT Val IT are:

1. To provide a framework for evaluating and measuring the value of IT investments.
2. To provide guidance on how to optimize the value that IT investments deliver to an organization.
3. To provide a way to align IT investments with the organization’s strategic objectives.
4. To provide a way to manage and govern IT-related risks and opportunities.
5. To provide a way to continuously improve the value of IT investments over time.

COBIT Val IT is built on three main components: the Value Governance Framework, the Value Delivery Framework, and the Value Realization Framework. The Value Governance Framework provides guidance on how to align IT investments with the organization’s strategic objectives and manage IT-related risks and opportunities. The Value Delivery Framework provides guidance on how to measure and optimize the value of IT investments. The Value Realization Framework provides guidance on how to continuously improve the value of IT investments over time.

Can you describe the COBIT Process Assessment Model (PAM)?

The COBIT Process Assessment Model (PAM) is a framework designed to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of an organization’s IT governance processes. It is based on the COBIT framework, which provides a comprehensive set of best practices for IT governance, management, and control.

The PAM is divided into four main components:

1. Process Reference Model (PRM): This component provides a detailed description of the IT governance processes that are considered to be critical for the effective management of IT. The PRM includes a set of processes that are grouped into four domains: Governance, Management, Operations, and Evaluation.
2. Assessment Methodology: This component provides a structured approach for assessing the IT governance processes. It includes a set of guidelines, procedures, and templates that are used to collect and analyze data on the processes being assessed.
3. Assessment Criteria: This component provides a set of criteria that are used to evaluate the performance of the IT governance processes. These criteria include factors such as effectiveness, efficiency, compliance, and risk management.
4. Assessment Results: This component provides a summary of the assessment results, including an overall assessment of the IT governance processes, as well as specific recommendations for improvement.

The PAM is designed to be flexible and customizable, allowing organizations to adapt it to their specific needs and requirements. It can be used to assess the entire IT governance function or specific processes within it, and can also be integrated with other frameworks and methodologies.

Overall, the COBIT Process Assessment Model (PAM) is a valuable tool for organizations looking to improve their IT governance processes and ensure that they are aligned with their overall business objectives.

Basic Interview Questions

1. What is COBIT?

Control Objectives for Information and Related Technology (COBIT) is an abbreviation for Control Objectives for Information and Related Technology. The framework was created by ISACA to help organizations effectively control and manage their technology.

2. Why should organizations be using COBIT 2019?

COBIT 2019 is a framework for aligning existing frameworks within an organization and determining the role of each framework in the organization’s overall strategy. Moreover, provides senior management with more insight into how technology can help achieve organizational goals.

3. Can you tell what do you know about ISACA?

ISACA was founded in 1969 to help organisations defend themselves from cybercrime and data security breaches. ISACA is a non-profit organisation that creates, promotes, and executes information security audits.

4. How would you elaborate on the role of ISACA?

ISACA is a global community of nearly 100,000 decision-makers, IT professionals, security experts, and practitioners working in all aspects of governance, risk management and control, assurance, and operational technologies who collaborate to develop standards and guidelines for managing the security of IT-dependent organisations.

5. Couls you explain one primary use of COBIT?

COBIT is used by people who work in corporations and are familiar with the company’s processes and technology. They need to receive information that is accurate, relevant, and has a certain level of quality.

6. What are the two aspects of enterprise governance?

The two dimensions of enterprise governance are conformance and performance. Conformance refers to how the board structures and the roles of the board members are arranged, as well as executive remuneration.

7. Can you tell some major differences between COBIT 5 and COBIT 2019?

The guidelines for COBIT 2019 have a more prescriptive approach than those for COBIT 5. They support more integrations when it comes to governance and risk management and has a stronger focus on newer technologies, such as DevOps and Agile concepts.

8. Can you name the main principles for governance and management of enterprise IT on which COBIT 5 is based?

Principles of COBIT 5 –

• Satisfying stakeholder needs.
• Integrating the enterprise top to bottom
• Using an integrated approach.
• Facilitating a holistic approach
• Distinguishing governance from management

9. What are the methods that COBIT use to distinguish IT governance and management?

COBIT is chiefly a framework for both governance and management of IT. It separates the two activities using mnemonics that help people to remember the steps they should follow: Evaluate, Direct, and Monitor (EDM). The first step is to evaluate the current status; then move on to directing your resources; and monitor your processes so you can adapt them whenever needed.

10. What is the role of COBIT 5 in IT security policy enforcement?

COBIT 5 enables the monitoring of an organization’s capabilities by evaluating governance, which is the direct observation of management where we set objectives in place. We then enable these capabilities, and then monitor what’s happening in them and report back exceptions.

11. Can you name the core principles of COBIT 2019?

Six principles for a governance system include:

• In order for I&T to be used effectively and generate value, a governance system is required.
• Benefits, resources, and risks must balance by the enterprise in order to create value.
• An actionable strategy helps an enterprise achieve value.
• Governance is about balancing those benefits against risk and resources.
• The objectives of the governance strategy must align with the organization’s mission and vision.
• The strategy and governance system must be coherent with business processes.

12. What is the number of processes in COBIT 2019?

Several changes have been observed in the processes that support governance and management. There are 40 processes in COBIT 2019, up from 37 in COBIT 5.

13. Can you name the main objectives of IT management governance?

•  Firstly, evaluating as well as directing the use of IT for supporting the organization.
•  Then, monitoring it to achieve desired plans.
•  Using IT strategy and policies for accomplishing their purpose.
•  Last but not least, aligning the strategy with the goals of the organization

14. How is COBIT different from ITIL?

COBIT is a set of practices that describes ways to help top managers understand how they should approach their enterprise IT. ITIL is a set of protocols that will help you arrange the daily activities of your personnel.

15. What do you know about COBIT 5 goals cascade?

The COBIT 5 goals cascade is a framework outline how an enterprise can prioritize its most critical needs, and then translate those priorities into IT-related goals. This ‘mapping’ of needs to goals is an essential step to assist the alignment between the needs of an organization and IT solutions and services and can be implemented at multiple levels.

16. Can you explain the COBIT core model?

The COBIT Core Model has 5 domains: governance, management, planning, operation, and performance. It is the basis for designing and implementing a governance system for your organization. The COBIT Core Model is customized to meet your organization’s requirements. The objectives of the model are to help ensure that you focus on your governance system.

17. What do you know about COBIT design factors?

The implementation of COBIT requires considering various factors, including the enterprise’s distinct character and profile, size, industry sector, regulatory landscape, threat landscape, the role of IT in the organization, and other relevant attributes.

18. What is capability level in COBIT?

Capability levels indicate how effectively a company is using control objectives.

19. What is the difference between capability level and maturity level?

The capability level is the level of implementation and performance of a process as it relates to implementing the controls defined in COBIT. Maturity levels are groupings at the focus area level that express performance without much detail.

20. Can you name the 5 maturity levels of COBIT?

• 0th Level – Non-existent (The process does not exist at all)
• 1st Level – Initial/Ad Hoc (No standardized processes are in place)
• 2nd Level – Repeatable but Intuitive
• 3rd Level – Defined Process
• 4th Level – Managed and Measurable
• 5th Level – Optimized

21. In what ways can COBIT controls help an organization measure and improve its business performance?

COBIT lets businesses minimize their IT-related risks by setting up effective control measures and monitoring processes. COBIT’s governance role is successful since you can evaluate your business process using it.

22. Can you name the elements of COBIT 5 that make IT an integrated framework?

Its integrated framework is a good fit for integrating COBIT 5 into other governance frameworks within an organization and as a management system for managing information. It is a critical modern business strategy to look at the concept of systems as a single unit rather than looking at it in parts. It is known as holism.

23. How Does Implementing NIST Cybersecurity Using COBIT 5 Work?

It can manage with the support of management and as an investment that can support using any of the business cases. COBIT 5 helps in a dialogue between security and management, which is easy for understanding security practices.

24. How are compliance and governance related?

Governance helps to create and maintain laws and regulations that help to run organizations efficiently. Compliance is the methods and processes by which an organization follows its governance.

25. Which domains of I&T management are present in the framework?

The domains of I&T management are –

• Align, Plan and Organize (APO) 
• Build, Acquire and Implement (BAI)
• Deliver, Service, and Support (DSS)
• Monitor, Evaluate and Assess (MEA)

26. What are the ITIL service components?

The following are the service components of ITIL –

• Service Strategy – This component plan out the entire IT Service Delivery in accordance with the needs and structure of the organization
• The Service Design – It incorporates continuous assessment to design the IT Services in accordance with the needs and structure of the organization
• Service Transition – It is the component that considers change management and planning.
• Continuous Service Improvement – measurement and analysis of the problems and bottlenecks for optimization is addressed by this component.
•  Service Operation – Operational issues caused by support tasks like Service Desk or Backups, etc are managed by this component.

27. Can you tell us the purpose of Principles policies and frameworks in an organization?

COBIT’s Principles, Policies, and Frameworks are communication mechanisms that implement to give directions and instructions for the organization in accordance with governance objectives.

28. What are the categories of enablers defined by COBIT?

There are seven categories of enablers in the COBIT 5 framework. Four are closely related to the concept of organizational systems: processes, organizational structures, culture and ethics, and behavior.

29. Can you tell us why the companies should use COBIT?

COBIT is a framework that any company can use, regardless of industry. It assures the quality, control, and dependability of an organization’s information systems, which is vital for corporate growth.

30. In what ways does COBIT help companies to better integrate ICTS with their business goals?

COBIT is a framework that assists organizations in getting the most out of their IT investments by focusing on striking a balance between achieving benefits and optimizing risk levels, resource utilization, and other factors. It is for both business leaders and IT experts, and it takes into account the demands of business users, executives, auditors, and other stakeholders.