Quality Assurance And Quality Control: Are They Same?

Quality management entails two attributes- quality assurance and quality control check. Quality assurance is a major part which includes quality check. But, quality assurance does not include all the attributes of a quality system. In a similar way, quality check does not include all the characteristics of the quality assurance.

However, people tend to use the terms of quality assurance and quality check interchangeably. This article will delineate in detail the quality assurance definition, quality assurance vs quality control, quality control define and the differences between both these terms. In order to have cognizance of the differences, it is crucial to learn the meaning of the names.

Meaning of Quality

Quality refers to the standards which are deemed to satisfy the customers. Generally, the demand for products with good quality is higher. The quality integrates meeting the expectations and the requirements of the target audience. To meet such standards, the producers should make sure that there are no defects in the products. 

Meaning of Assurance

Assurance means building confidence in the clients by confirming the required standards of quality. Such assurance will help you to ameliorate your productivity and hence, tantalize a greater target audience towards your business. It works as verifiability for the customers to have faith in your products and services.

Meaning of Control     

Control means paying heed to the established norms, and thus, making sure that your products or services are prepared or delivered according to them. Thus, control aims at verifying the results and modifying the careless techniques.

Quality Assurance vs Quality Control

Quality Assurance or QA aims at augmenting the credibility of an organization by maintaining the quality of its products and services. So, to maintain quality, it is crucial to prevent defects in the substances. Moreover, quality assurance has two-fold consequences. The first impact is proffered on the internal organization and management. Secondly, QA companies excel at their role in quality assurance, delivering meticulous testing and validation that not only safeguards software integrity but also bestows favorable outcomes on customers, investors, and other stakeholders.
 

Hence, the QA programs entail various methodologies and strategies that help to design the projects in the correct way. The quality assurance programs also assist to create deliverables accurately. Thus, QA makes sure that the procedures have been followed and verified correctly. Quality assurance is implemented prior to quality control. Hence, it is a proactive procedure that compels the manufacturers to prevent defects. Thus, the nature of quality assurance is prevention.

Quality Control aims at meeting the quality requirements of the deliverables. So, quality assurance relates to the procedures that decide the manufacturing process of the product. But, the quality control is aimed at inspection and detection of the flaws of the deliverables.

Hence, quality control or QC makes sure that the procedures, techniques and strategies previously conducted to fabricate the projects and deliverables are followed in the right way. So, it is through QC that the products ultimately meet the norms of the quality standards. Hence, quality control is a reactive process, unlike quality assurance. Moreover, as mentioned earlier, quality control is performed after quality assurance.

Also Read: Appsierra’s Quality Assurance

Comparison

1. Methodology

The methodology of QA aims at paying heed to the quality of the deliverables. Thus, quality assurance entails various techniques which businesses should follow. On the other hand, the techniques of the QC aim at corroborating the quality of the deliverables. This is done by making sure that the methodologies of QA are adhered to by the corporations.

2. Responsibility

The responsibility of quality assurance is taken by the entire team of the organization. Whereas, the testing team is responsible for the quality checking procedures of the deliverables.

3. Software

The results of the entire software development life cycle are exhibited through quality assurance. On the other hand, the quality check only deduces the results of the software testing life cycle.

4. Functioning Level

Quality assurance is the planning procedure of the deliverables. But the quality check is the execution procedure of the deliverables. Hence, quality assurance comes before quality checking techniques.

5. Manufacturing Levels

QA initiates the manufacturing level because it is aimed at fabricating the products and services. But, QC ends the manufacturing level because it is aimed at substantiating the produced goods or services.

6. Statistical Methods

The statistical methodology of quality assurance is named the statistical process control or SPC. But, statistical quality control or SQC refers to the statistical procedures of quality check.

7. Guide and Verdict

Quality assurance serves as a guide and fabricates the way which the manufacturers can follow in producing their deliverables. This guide helps in compelling you to walk on the right path and hence meet the norms of the relevant techniques. But, quality checks serve as a verdict and are hence result based. It verifies whether the results align with the ideal verdict or not.

8. History

The concept of quality control originally emerged in 1920. This was due to industrial production, which led to the fabrication of mass products. Hence, industrial production augmented the importance of better quality of the products. However, initially, quality control aimed at adhering to the engineering controls of the products. But, later, with the development and technological innovations, quality control integrated more complicated features, which aim at maximizing the utility of the customers from the products and services.

On the other hand, quality assurance was originally thought of in the 1950s. The quality system heightened to integrate the quality assurance programs along with the auditing features. The initiation was conducted by various organizations and corporations. Such businesses were related to the domain of Public Safety and Healthcare. Though similar terms, quality assurance and quality control have various technical differences in them. By initiating your production with quality assurance and ending it with quality control, you can take your business to soar great heights. This is because, with the help of Quality Assurance, you promise the clients and hence, make statements. However, a quality check makes sure that you adhere to those statements and win the confidence of your target audience.

Also Read: Mantis Bug Tracker For Better Quality Control