Worst case analysis or "preparing for Murphy"

Murphy's Law-"If anything can go wrong, it will"-is the basis for performing Worst Case Analysis(WCA). A WCA provides a method for verifying circuit performance and derating requirements over a program specified environment and life. WCA should be an integral part of the design of every electronic assembly. The results will serve to assure proper system operation under the most unfavorable combination of realizable conditions. The WCA should be performed as the design evolves, but prior to the design finalization.