Unlike the name suggests, alarm management does not solely refer to the running and organization of alarm systems within a premise. Alarm management is mainly the integration between ergonomics and engineering to increase the functionality of the system.

Often, poor design or installation of security alarms is the main cause to false alarm or failed alarm. In some extreme incidences, plants and industries may have to be shut down for several hours to check for the reason behind the goes off. Thus, all these are regarded as a waste of human and monetary resources and a proper procedures need to be implemented to prevent incidents like these from occurring too often.

The history of alarm design can be traces back to the early 1990s when a related task force was set up to write about issues associate with alarm installation and usage. Such action spurred up subsequent research in the area, resulting in the study of human system relation and conditions that permit smooth system operation. Official guidelines were thus published in educating the next generation on what are the appropriate mannerism.

Currently the key principles to alarm management include the understanding that alarm is a device to alert, inform, and guide all required operator actions. Furthermore, alarm should notify users about the conditions within the premise; providing helpful and relevant information for the users to take appropriate actions.

Alarm levels are to be set in a way which gives users enough time to react and carry out certain actions when it is being triggered and an optimal alarm system should accommodate to the limitations and capabilities of human. These management skills are categorised specifically into seven steps made known to many industrial alarm system users.

Some people may regard alarm management not as important because of the number and scale of their alarm system. Practically, such thinking is true to a certain extent as domestic users should pay more attention to the entire installation process. Nevertheless, there is an important message which we can bring home from alarm management, that is, the system is designed in a way to aid in our interests. Thus, a smart user should make full use of this and act responsibly.