1. A method for defining a timing parameter for a circuit element the method performed by a processor, the method comprising: determining a point of failure parameter associated with the timing parameter, the point of failure parameter correlated with a specific value of a process variation; determining a standard deviation associated with the point of failure parameter; determining the process variation per the standard deviation; and defining the timing parameter for the circuit element as a function of the failure parameter, the standard deviation, and the process variation per the standard deviation.