5 Major Differences between Quality Assurance and Quality Control Testing

Quality Control (QC) and Quality Assurance (QA) are two terms that are often confused with one another and hence, used interchangeably. This is mainly because both of them are inter-related aspects of major quality management that ensure that the deliverables are of high-quality, meeting the expectations of customers. That being said, there are a number of distinctive differences between the two that we will delve deep into in a discussion on quality assurance vs quality control.

Before moving onto the major differences between quality assurance and quality control, let’s first clearly define the two, according to the guidelines given by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO 9000).

_{Quality Assurance}

A way of ensuring that quality requirements will be fulfilled – the product will be “Fit for purpose” and made “right the first time”.

_{Quality Control}

A process of fulfilling quality requirements by thoroughly reviewing the quality of all factors involved in production.

_{Quality Assurance vs Quality Control (QA Vs. QC)}

You can be more clear after reading quality assurance versus quality control table.

_{Quality Assurance}

Main objective of quality assurance is to prevent defects and mistakes

Preventive technique and pro-active measure

Process oriented – directly related to the systematic and planned activities involved in making the product

Involves managing quality by defining the processes, strategies, and policies, developing checklists, and establishing standards that need to be followed throughout the course of the project

Responsibility of all the individuals involved in developing the product or service When statistical tools and techniques are applied to end products, they are referred to as Statistical Quality Control (SQC) and they become a part of quality assurance

_{Quality Control}

Main goal of quality control is to fix defects after first identifying them Corrective technique and reactive measure Product oriented – related to the operational activities as well as techniques that are used to inspect and ensure that requirements of quality have been met Involves following the set guidelines as the project progresses and products are being made to verify quality, discover defects and correct them Responsibility of a particular team that tests the product or service to check for bugs and fixes them When statistical tools and techniques are applied to processes they are referred to as Statistical Process Control (SPC) and they become a part of quality control

_{Parting thoughts}

In a nutshell, quality control ensures that the right things are being done as it focuses on detecting issues and correcting them while quality assurance ensures that the results come out as expected since it aims to improve processes in order to prevent things from going wrong in the future. Both of them are different from each other but at the same time essential when it comes to ensuring quality as they both lie at the core of quality management.

_{About Rezaid} 

Rezaid Global is a Digital Marketing Agency UK that creates and executes cutting-edge digital strategies for companies far and wide. Our work, driven by a passion for technological architecture, extraordinary visual design and ultimately aimed at ensuring your success. Our team creates custom software and online promotion packages designed specifically for small enterprises (SMEs) operating within Manchester and beyond, with customized packages to match their business needs. 

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