Quality assurance (QA):
QA refers to the process used to create the results, and can be performed by a manager, customer, or even a third party reviewer. Quality assurance examples include system checklists, project audits, and creation of methods and norms.
Quality control (QC):
Quality Control (QC) relates to quality-related operations related to project deliverables development. Quality monitoring is used to check that deliverables are of appropriate quality and full and accurate.
Difference between QA &QC:
Quality Assurance is process-oriented and relies on avoidance of defects, while quality control is product oriented and focuses on defect identification. QA inspects the process and QC controls the process and the end product.
- Quality Assurance makes sure you are doing the right things, the right way.
- Quality Control makes sure the results of what you’ve done are what you expected.
| Quality Control | Quality Control |
|---|---|
| QA aims to prevent defects with a focus on the process used to make the product. It is a proactive quality process | The objective of QC is to detect flaws in the completed item. Consequently, quality monitoring is a reactive method. |
| QA's objective is to enhance procedures of production and testing so that faults do not occur when developing the item. |
The goal of QC is to identify defects after a product is developed and before it's released. |
| QA is a collection of operations aimed at ensuring that an entity / product meets all demands for performance. This is achieved by adopting / following a standard / procedure and practices as well as standard QA methods such as evaluation, coaching, facilitation, etc. |
QC is a collection of operations aimed at ensuring that all performance criteria are fulfilled. This is the identification of defects and is achieved through experimentation. |
| Quality assurance is an audit function. | Quality Control is mainly an inspection function. |
| A QA technician may be engaged in the development of packaging and transport requirements or in the provision of quality buying requirements | The QC engineer would only be focused on making sure product meets the requirements of quality plan as set by QA. |
| QA is critical than QC, since QA will be responsible for controlling potential flaws |
QC is component of QA, meaning that QA is larger than QC. QC only test for today's intent and make sure |