Equipment and device management is a life-cycle process. It is much more than equipment maintenance. Clinical engineers can be the initiators of the start of the life-cycle process or they can respond to the initiative of others. In both cases they must act as the interface between the clinical needs and the technological solutions. This presentation discusses exactly what 'medical device management' is. Lots of people have a role, but the role of users is unique; the speaker describes the key principles involved.