What does the term “process capability” refer to?

The term "process capability" specifically refers to the ability of a process to produce output that meets specified requirements or specifications consistently. This concept is fundamentally important in quality management as it helps organizations understand how well their processes can perform in relation to customer requirements.

When assessing process capability, organizations typically look at statistical measures such as Cp and Cpk, which compare the width of the process variation to the width of the specification limits. A process that has a high capability is expected to produce results that fall within these limits most of the time, which in turn leads to increased customer satisfaction and reduced rework or defects.

The other options focus on aspects that do not capture the essence of process capability. While efficiency, customer satisfaction, and timing are relevant metrics in evaluating processes, they do not inherently define the capability of a process to produce within specified limits. Process capability is primarily concerned with the statistical aspect of performance and consistency in meeting specifications.