Which term describes an instance where a process fails to meet customer requirements or specifications?

The term that accurately describes an instance where a process fails to meet customer requirements or specifications is "defect." In the context of quality management and Six Sigma, a defect is any instance in which a product or service does not meet predefined standards or customer expectations. This can include anything from a product that is out of specification to a service that fails to deliver the intended outcome.

Defects are crucial in the Six Sigma methodology as they directly relate to quality control and improvement efforts. By identifying and measuring defects, organizations can analyze root causes and implement solutions to minimize the occurrence of these defects, thereby increasing customer satisfaction and enhancing overall process quality.

While other terms like process failure, variance, and flaw have their own meanings and uses in quality management, they do not specifically capture the concept of failing to meet customer requirements in the same way that "defect" does. A process failure might refer to the entire process not functioning correctly, variance typically relates to the variability in process performance, and a flaw suggests a fault but does not necessarily imply it affects customer requirements directly. Thus, "defect" is the most precise term in this context.