Certified Implementation Specialist (CIS) Application Portfolio Management (APM) Practice Exam

What aspect of application management does Application Portfolio Management primarily focus on?

1. Technical support efficiency

2. Strategic decisions regarding application upgrades or replacements

3. Vendor performance reviews

4. User training and development

The correct answer is: Strategic decisions regarding application upgrades or replacements

Application Portfolio Management (APM) primarily focuses on making strategic decisions regarding the lifecycle of applications within an organization. This involves evaluating the current portfolio of applications to determine which ones need to be upgraded, replaced, or retired based on their alignment with business goals and their overall effectiveness. By assessing applications in this strategic context, APM helps organizations prioritize investments in technology, ensuring that resources are allocated to applications that deliver the most value. This can involve analyzing not only the performance and necessity of current applications but also considering market trends, user needs, and technological advancements. In contrast, while technical support efficiency, vendor performance reviews, and user training are important aspects of application management, they do not capture the broader strategic framework that APM provides. These aspects often support the operational side of managing applications but are not the primary focus of APM, which is centered on optimizing the application portfolio to align with organizational strategy and objectives.