A demonstration establishes what happened under the conditions demonstrated.

A screen demonstration can leave unanswered whether different data, connectivity, scale, configuration, permissions or licensing changes the result.

Evidence breadth

General assessment-method principle applied editorially

Where this applies

Shortlisted CMMS vendor demonstrations.

Last evidence review

September 24, 2026

What happened

NIST SP 800-53A Rev. 5, §2.4.2 defines testing as exercising an assessment object under specified conditions and distinguishes it from examination and interview. CMMS Buyers Guide applies that scope distinction to a hypothetical CMMS demo; no vendor performance was observed.

Why it matters

A successful action on screen supports a narrow observation about the conditions actually shown. Operating conditions not exercised remain open.

What a buyer should do

Record the tested conditions and any material conditions that remain untested.

Record what was demonstrated, the conditions used and what was not tested.

Documented evidence

National Institute of Standards and Technology

Assessing Security and Privacy Controls in Information Systems and Organizations

NIST SP 800-53A Revision 5

Section 2.4.2 defines examine, interview, test; used for broader principles adapted to CMMS evaluation, not CMMS-specific advice

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What happened

Why it matters

What a buyer should do

What this evidence does and does not establish

Documented evidence