Intervention programs are open systems that must withstand the disturbances of the environments in which they are implemented if they are to thrive. Stakeholders can benefit from proactive insights related to potential program malfunction or failure. Evaluators have not developed approaches to serve this preventive function. This study proposes the program stress test as a holistic, preventive approach to program evaluation, aiming to identify vulnerable areas at risk of failure, and to suggest preventive strategies. The stress test can be used in the planning stage of a program (called ex-ante stress test), or during the implementation stage (called ex-post stress test). This study illustrates an ex-post test. The authors introduce its concept, methodology, research steps, and application to a student retention program, including findings of structural and functional issues, as well as solutions proposed by participants. The authors call the evaluators’ attention to the need to expand the traditional scope of evaluation, to include future-focused assessments.

干预程序是开放的系统，如果要蓬勃发展，它们必须承受实施它们的环境的干扰。利益相关者可以从与潜在程序故障或失败相关的主动见解中受益。评估人员尚未开发出可起到这种预防功能的方法。这项研究提出了计划压力测试，作为一种整体，预防性的方案评估方法，旨在确定有失败风险的脆弱区域，并提出预防策略。压力测试可以用于程序的计划阶段（称为事前压力测试），也可以用于实施阶段（称为事后压力测试）。这项研究说明了事后测试。作者介绍了其概念，方法，研究步骤以及在学生保留计划中的应用，包括结构和功能问题的发现，以及参与者提出的解决方案。作者呼吁评估人员注意扩大传统评估范围的必要性，以包括面向未来的评估。