Modern operator interfaces use techniques originally described in the ASM's Guidelines (Effective Console Operator HMI Design Practices (ISBN: 978-1514203859)) and elaborated in High Performance HMI Handbook (https://www.amazon.com/High-Performance-HMI-Handbook/dp/0977896919) depend on consolidating alarm state.

The current representation of alarms does a fine job of support a "Current Alarm Display" and it lacks the ability to do alarm consolidation / roll-up.

For example, an object at the lowest level may have multiple alarms of different types and severities. A mechanism to summarize them is needed for Situational Awareness graphics.

Likewise, a given object, which may consist of other objects with alarms), should be able to not only have its own alarms, but also represent the alarm state of the objects that compose it.

I discussed this at the OPAF meeting with Paul Hunkar and Jeff Harding and there was agreement that the OPC Foundation should give this consideration.