This article provides guidelines for developing consistent and effective environmental stress screening (ESS) programs for electronic assemblies and systems. Emphasis is on the timely coordination of all concerned technical disciplines to ensure that a complete and unbiased information base will be available to program management for decision making. The technical disciplines involved include Design, Reliability, Environmental, Quality, Test, and Field Engineering. The ESS development program is characterized by three phases: Conceptual Definition, Implementation, and Effectiveness Review. Throughout this process, integration of technical and administrative concerns is essential.
