A computer-implemented method of improving a lithographic process of imaging a portion of a design layout on a substrate using a lithographic projection apparatus is disclosed herein, the method comprising: calculating a multivariate cost function-the multivariate cost The function is a function of a probabilistic fluctuation of the properties of an aerial image or a resist image, or a function of a variable that affects the probabilistic fluctuation or is a function of a probabilistic fluctuation, and the stochastic fluctuation is a plurality of design variables representing characteristics of a lithography process Is a function of-; And reconstructing one or more of the characteristics of the lithographic process by adjusting one or more of the design variables until a predetermined termination condition is satisfied.
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