Quality Assurance Vs. Quality Control

Quality assurance (QA) describes various procedures and activities that occur during product development. In other words, quality assurance is a way to verify that the planned quality requirements will be fulfilled as the product is manufactured or developed.

Examples include:

Design and prototyping.
Version control.
Configuration management.
Customer acceptance and feedback.
Specification compliance.
Low percentage rate of defects, and
Shipping that results in delivery without damage to products or packaging.

Aspect	Quality Assurance (QA)	Quality Control (QC)
Definition	A systematic process focused on preventing defects and ensuring that quality standards and processes are followed throughout a project or production.	A process-oriented approach that involves inspecting and testing products or services to identify and correct defects before they reach the customer.
Focus	Focuses on process management, continuous improvement, and adherence to established quality standards and procedures.	Concentrates on product inspection, testing, and verification to identify and rectify defects.
Timing	Implemented during the entire product development or service delivery lifecycle.	Implemented during and after the production or service delivery process.
Objective	Aims to prevent defects and errors from occurring in the first place, thereby reducing the likelihood of defects reaching the customer.	Aims to identify defects and errors that have already occurred in the product or service, preventing them from reaching the customer.
Responsibility	Involves the entire team or organization, from top management to frontline employees, to ensure that quality is built into processes and products.	Typically carried out by specialized QC teams or individuals responsible for inspecting and testing products.
Methods	Involves process audits, documentation reviews, training, process improvement, and process standardization.	Involves product testing, inspections, measurements, and data analysis to verify product quality.
Documentation	Focuses on creating and maintaining quality management systems, standards, and procedures documentation.	Involves creating records of inspections, test results, and corrective actions taken.
Continuous Improvement	Emphasizes continuous process improvement and strives for defect prevention through process optimization.	Focuses on identifying and correcting defects as they arise, with less emphasis on process improvement.
Customer Impact	Aims to prevent quality issues from reaching the customer, leading to higher customer satisfaction and loyalty.	Ensures that only products or services meeting quality standards are delivered to the customer, also contributing to customer satisfaction.
Cost Management	May require upfront investment in quality processes and training but can lead to long-term cost savings by reducing defects and rework.	May involve costs associated with inspection, testing, and rework but is essential to avoid customer dissatisfaction and costly recalls.
Examples	– Developing and implementing standardized procedures. – Training employees on quality processes. – Conducting regular process audits.	– Inspecting manufactured products for defects. – Testing software for bugs. – Measuring product dimensions against specifications.

Table of Contents

What is quality control?

Quality control (QC) is the inspection phase of quality assurance where the product is tested to ensure it is effective and safe to use.

Examples of QC include:

Identification of product blemishes or errors.
Conformance with industry standards and regulations.
Identification of bugs to be fixed in the next iteration or before product release.
Acceptance sampling or quality control charts.
Statistical process control methods such as SPC manufacturing.
Total Quality Management (TQM), and
Lean manufacturing.

Key Similarities between Quality Assurance (QA) and Quality Control (QC):

Both are part of the quality management process: Both QA and QC are essential components of quality management and are aimed at ensuring that products or services meet the required quality standards.

Focus on improving product quality

The primary goal of both QA and QC is to improve the quality of the final product or service delivered to customers.

Based on standards and procedures

Both QA and QC rely on established standards, procedures, and best practices to ensure consistent quality.

Involve testing and inspection

Both QA and QC involve testing and inspection processes to identify and address quality issues.

Help in identifying and correcting defects

Both QA and QC activities aim to identify defects or non-compliance with standards and take corrective actions to improve quality.

The key differences between quality assurance and quality control

While quality assurance and quality control are both aspects of quality management, their focus and how they approach quality itself are fundamentally different.

To understand these differences, it can be helpful to understand how both contribute to an organization’s quality improvement endeavors.

Here are some of the main differences between QA and QC.

Proactive vs. reactive

Quality assurance is proactive. It seeks to prevent errors and defects before they occur. Standard operating procedures (SOPs) based on ISO 9000 standards ensure that a safe and effective product is produced every time such processes are followed.
Quality control is reactive. It tests for efficacy and safety and seeks to identify errors and defects after the product has been produced.

System vs. parts

Quality assurance utilizes control systems comprised of methods and procedures to protect quality standards. For example, a QA system may dictate that inputs such as auditing and raw material batch sampling are consistently safe and effective.
Quality control measures parts (and the outputs) of the system. They may also be used to measure parts involved in creating the final product such as raw materials from a supplier.

Process vs. product

Quality assurance prevents quality problems and is thus process and action-oriented. Processes include documentation, audits, employee training, and change control.
Quality control tests for quality problems and is thus product and customer-oriented. Procedures include batch inspection, lab testing, software testing, and validation testing.

Entire team vs. dedicated personnel

Quality assurance activities concern the entire team because they cover all aspects of product development. Whilst quality management systems are the domain of the leadership and quality team, the activities themselves stipulate training, review, and documentation standards for the broader workforce.
Quality control is more limited in scope and as a result, is the domain of certain, specialized staff within the organization. These individuals follow SOPs for quality control and documentation that are based on standardized testing and process validation procedures.

Key takeaways:

Quality assurance (QA) describes various procedures and activities that occur during product development. Quality control (QC) is the inspection phase of quality assurance where the product is tested to ensure it is effective and safe to use.
While quality assurance and quality control are both aspects of quality management, their focus and how they approach quality itself are fundamentally different.
Some of the key differences between QA and QC include proactivity vs. reactivity, system vs. parts, process vs. product, and entire team vs. dedicated personnel.

Case Studies

Quality Assurance (QA) Examples:

Software Development:
- Before coding begins, the development team defines a coding standard that all developers should adhere to. This ensures consistency in code.
- Regular training sessions for the development team on the latest best practices in coding and software design.
Automotive Industry:
- Implementing standardized procedures for assembling parts to ensure each car is built to the same quality standards.
- Regularly reviewing and updating the assembly process to incorporate the latest technological advancements and improve efficiency.
Pharmaceuticals:
- Establishing standard procedures for drug manufacturing to ensure each batch maintains the same level of quality and efficacy.
- Conducting regular audits of the manufacturing process to ensure compliance with both internal and external standards.
Food Production:
- Setting up standardized recipes and cooking procedures in a restaurant to ensure that dishes are consistent in taste and presentation.
- Regularly reviewing and updating sanitary and storage procedures to ensure food safety.

Quality Control (QC) Examples:

Software Development:
- Code reviews where another developer checks the written code for errors or inefficiencies.
- Running automated tests to identify bugs or issues in the software.
Automotive Industry:
- Visual inspection of cars coming off the assembly line for any defects or issues.
- Randomly testing vehicles for safety and performance to ensure they meet established standards.
Pharmaceuticals:
- Taking samples from each batch of drugs produced and testing them in labs to ensure they meet the required efficacy and safety standards.
- Checking the packaging and labeling of drugs to ensure they provide the correct information and are tamper-proof.
Food Production:
- Taste-testing dishes in a restaurant before they are served to customers to ensure they meet the desired taste and presentation standards.
- Physically inspecting food items like fruits, vegetables, and meats upon delivery to ensure they meet quality and freshness standards.

Key highlights:

Quality Assurance (QA):
- Focuses on the processes during product development.
- It’s proactive, aiming to prevent errors and defects.
- Covers aspects like design, prototyping, and version control.
- Involves the entire team and is action-oriented.
- Emphasizes on system-wide standards and procedures.
Quality Control (QC):
- Refers to the inspection phase where products are tested.
- It’s reactive, identifying and rectifying defects after production.
- Examples include detecting product blemishes and ensuring conformance with standards.
- Is more limited in scope and often handled by specialized staff.
- Focuses on specific product checks and validations.
Common Ground:
- Both QA and QC are integral components of quality management.
- Aim to ensure products or services meet required quality standards.
- Rely on established procedures and standards.
- Both processes aim to identify and correct defects to enhance quality.
Differences:
- While QA is about ensuring the right processes are in place, QC focuses on checking the final product against standards.
- QA is preventive, whereas QC is corrective.
- QA involves the entire team and focuses on the process, while QC is product-focused and often managed by specialized personnel.

Context	Quality Assurance (QA)	Quality Control (QC)
Software Development	QA focuses on process improvement and ensuring that software development processes adhere to standards and best practices. QA includes activities like code reviews, process audits, and quality management system implementation.	QC involves activities that verify and validate the output of the software development process. Examples include unit testing, integration testing, and regression testing.
Manufacturing	QA in manufacturing involves setting quality standards, designing processes to meet these standards, and monitoring production processes to prevent defects. It ensures that products meet quality requirements from the start.	QC in manufacturing verifies the quality of finished products. Examples include inspecting products for defects, conducting product testing, and sampling to ensure conformity.
Construction	QA in construction focuses on planning and design to ensure that the construction project meets quality standards. It involves quality planning, inspections, and continuous improvement of construction processes.	QC in construction includes on-site inspections, testing materials and workmanship, and measuring finished components to verify that they meet quality specifications.
Healthcare	QA in healthcare involves developing and implementing processes and protocols to ensure patient safety, regulatory compliance, and quality care delivery. It includes performance monitoring, incident reporting, and policy development.	QC in healthcare includes activities such as medical tests, patient examinations, and audits to check the quality and accuracy of medical diagnoses, treatments, and services.
Aerospace	QA in aerospace ensures that design, manufacturing, and maintenance processes meet stringent safety and quality standards. It involves documentation, risk management, and compliance audits to prevent issues.	QC in aerospace involves inspecting aircraft components, conducting non-destructive testing, and performing final checks on aircraft to verify that they meet design and safety specifications.
Food Industry	QA in the food industry involves establishing food safety standards, hygiene protocols, and quality management systems to ensure the safety and quality of food products. It includes supplier audits and traceability measures.	QC in the food industry includes product testing, sensory evaluation, and inspections to check for foodborne pathogens, contaminants, and adherence to quality specifications.
Automotive Manufacturing	QA in automotive manufacturing focuses on process optimization, standardization, and defect prevention. It includes process control, statistical process control (SPC), and continuous improvement efforts.	QC in automotive manufacturing involves inspecting individual car components, conducting end-of-line testing, and quality checks to ensure that vehicles meet performance and safety standards.
Pharmaceuticals	QA in pharmaceuticals involves establishing good manufacturing practices (GMP), quality systems, and quality risk management to ensure the safety and efficacy of drugs. It includes batch record review and validation processes.	QC in pharmaceuticals includes laboratory testing of drug samples, quality inspections of packaging, and quality control checks at various stages of drug manufacturing to verify compliance with specifications.
Textile Industry	QA in the textile industry encompasses quality planning, process control, and adherence to textile standards to ensure that textile products meet durability and safety requirements.	QC in the textile industry includes fabric testing, visual inspections, and measuring fabric characteristics to confirm that the textile products meet design and quality standards.
Retail	QA in retail includes developing and implementing quality standards for products, supply chain management, and customer service to ensure a consistent and high-quality shopping experience.	QC in retail involves inspecting product deliveries, conducting inventory audits, and assessing product quality in stores to identify and rectify any defects or issues.

Related Frameworks, Models, Concepts	Description	When to Apply
Quality Assurance (QA)	– A systematic process of determining whether a product or service meets specified requirements. QA is process-oriented and focuses on defect prevention, ensuring the quality of the process used to create the final product.	– Essential in the initial phases of product development and throughout the production cycle to prevent defects and ensure quality standards are met.
Quality Control (QC)	– A product-oriented process that checks the quality of finished products to identify defects after the product is developed and before it goes into the market. QC is a reactive process aimed at identifying and fixing defects in finished products.	– Used at the end of a production process and before product delivery to ensure the final output meets the required specifications and quality standards.
Total Quality Management (TQM)	– A company-wide philosophy that focuses on continuously improving the quality of all processes, products, and services by involving all employees from upper management to assembly line workers.	– Implemented in businesses aiming for long-term success through customer satisfaction and where quality improvement is a continuous goal across all departments.
Six Sigma	– A set of techniques and tools for process improvement. Developed by Motorola, Six Sigma aims to improve the quality of output by identifying and removing the causes of defects and minimizing variability in manufacturing and business processes.	– Applied in industries where reducing errors and increasing efficiencies are crucial, such as manufacturing, finance, and healthcare.
ISO 9001	– Part of the ISO 9000 series, ISO 9001 is a set of standards that helps organizations ensure they meet customer and other stakeholder needs within statutory and regulatory requirements related to a product or service.	– Used by organizations needing to demonstrate the ability to consistently provide products and services that meet customer and regulatory requirements.
Lean Manufacturing	– A systematic method for waste minimization within a manufacturing system without sacrificing productivity. Lean also takes into account waste created through overburden and waste created through unevenness in workloads.	– Utilized in manufacturing processes to improve efficiency, reduce waste, and increase productivity.
Continuous Improvement (Kaizen)	– A long-term approach to work that systematically seeks to achieve small, incremental changes in processes in order to improve efficiency and quality.	– Employed in all types of organizations for ongoing process improvement, enhancing competitiveness and efficiency incrementally.
Statistical Process Control (SPC)	– A method of quality control which employs statistical methods to monitor and control a process. This helps ensure the process operates at its full potential to produce conforming product.	– Used in production processes to monitor quality and maintain processes to fixed targets, ensuring consistent outputs.
Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA)	– A step-by-step approach for identifying all possible failures in a design, a manufacturing or assembly process, or a product or service.	– Critical in the design phase of a product or process as a preventive action to identify possible failures and prevent them by correcting the processes.
Quality Management System (QMS)	– A formalized system that documents processes, procedures, and responsibilities for achieving quality policies and objectives. A QMS helps coordinate and direct an organization’s activities to meet customer and regulatory requirements and improve its effectiveness and efficiency on a continuous basis.	– Implemented in organizations to enhance their ability to consistently meet customer requirements and improve the overall quality and efficiency of the business.