The identical twin terms QA and QC are closely related that confusions have become very common. Being a test manager, it is essential to know what exactly you are speaking about to your clients and stakeholders.
The below blog will enlighten you with suitable definitions and how they indeed differ from each other. From primary to complex, all the distinct differences between Quality Assurance and Quality Control are explained. Let’s get this straight.
Nuts and Bolts of Quality Management
First of all, Quality Management is a comprehensive class under which comes the QA and QC. It ensures the quality of the software on a very higher level and has four sub-processes. They are as follows.
1. Quality Planning
A plan is made to direct the team to a start point, to begin with. This process of designing a plan is different for every individual project. It involves a plan for quality assurance and quality control – brief details of who, how, when, where, what, and the time of QA activities are presented. Then the tools and techniques used in the QC are also promptly disclosed.
2. Quality Assurance
Quality Assurance is a downright process-oriented functionality. One of the sought-after functions in software testing that has much to do with the defects prevention in the software.
3. Quality Control
Unlike Quality Assurance, Quality Control is a defect identification process. It is a product-oriented functionality that carries the utmost importance.
4. Quality Improvement
In this process, valuable feedback from the team is taken into account, and then worthy modifications are added to the existing standards. The principal objective of the process is to establish high-quality standards in the organization probably than yesterday.
Importance of Quality Assurance and Quality Control
To attain an invincible business empire, quality products are large jackpots. Live up to your customer expectations and thrive on the market competition all at once. Quality Assurance and Quality Control can enhance your product giving you the much-needed breakthrough. Although there are many practices to ensure the product quality QA and QC are the most primitive and quintessential.
Several businesses follow these to ensure that all the requirements are well met. This isn’t anything new in the business world, it’s been existing for years in the name of rescue for growing businesses. Manufacturers and service providers worldwide are well aware of its importance; now it’s your turn.
Differences between Quality Assurance and Quality Control
| Classifications | Quality Assurance | Quality Control |
| Definition | It is defined as an attentive execution of all planned processes, methodologies, and standards to ensure that the software is qualitatively functioning. | A bunch of activities is performed to confirm if the developed product meets the prefixed requirements. |
| Nature of the process | It is more of a safeguarding process that initiates methods to prevent bugs. | It is a curative process that identifies bugs and potential threats and further fixes them. |
| People responsible for work | All persons who are actively operating in the project. | Quality Control Inspector and the testing team. |
| Examples of activities of QA and QC | Project audit, process checklists, process standards, and process documentation. | The software testing process, deliverable reviews, and inspection. |
| Tools and Techniques | Defining processes, quality Audit, selection of tools, and training. | Defining processes, quality Audit, selection of tools, and training. |
| Objectives | To enhance the processes, methodologies used in developing the product. | To enhance the product by identifying and fixing the bugs and issues. |
| Orientation | Process-oriented | Product-oriented |
Understanding the differences between QA and QC basing their tools, activities, and techniques used.
For a better understanding of substantial differences between QA and QC, we have compared their tools and techniques involved. Take a look.
Quality Assurance
Defining process
Quality audit is a famous process that inspects the software and ensures that it follows all the given guidelines, regulations, and plans. It is also a standardized technique to review if all the essential procedures and standards were taken into consideration while developing and testing the product.
Tools
The tool selection is a crucial aspect of Quality Assurance. We have mentioned a few crucial tools for you.
Cost of Quality
It should be noted that an investment in quality enhancement always benefits the organization directly or indirectly. At the same time, the cost of bad quality can affect the external and internal costs apart from a massive product failure. Always keep a keen eye on the quality of your investments and record them.
Benchmarking
It is a process of evaluating product performance based on derived metrics. Numbers do speak louder, so pay attention; they do help in making effective strategic business decisions.
Control Charts
Control charts are used to check out the processes practiced over time. They assist in making significant improvements to the processes to avoid unnecessary problems.
Fishbone Diagrams
It is also called Ishikawa or cause and effect diagrams. This method requires a lot of brainstorming and mind mapping using diagrams. It allows the particular person to think about all possible causes of the problem and also helps to come up with innovative solutions.
Cost-Benefit Analysis
An approach to examining an investment against the anticipated benefits. It also helps to estimate the feasibility of the resources required for the subsequent investment made.
Quality Control
Quality Reviews
The most accepted, appreciated, and aptly believed techniques in quality control. It can be defined as a genuine review done by the product personnel, managers, quality control team, clients, end-users, or any other stakeholders involved. The feedbacks are collected from different sources, compiled, examined, and only then certain quality approval decisions are made.
Types of Reviews Involved in the Quality Control Process
Management Reviews
This process is taken care of by the upper management to evaluate the work done to take corrective actions.
Technical Reviews
This type of review is done in the early stages of the product testing radically practiced by the technical moderators. The review aims to satisfy the product’s quality technical requirements; if not met, then the necessary changes should be taken.
Walkthrough Reviews
This renowned review type is significantly carried out by the author of the product. Further, he/she thoroughly introduces, explains, and reviews his/her thought process on the product in detail to the team. After a rigorous presentation, the feedback is collected from the audiences.
This type of review approach is only considered if the audience has no knowledge and understanding of the software. And also performed for documentation like specifications documents and design documents of the product. It aims to achieve as follows.
- To bring about a common understanding and obtain valuable feedback from the stakeholders.
- To discuss and debate on the initiated solutions after forming a common understanding.
- Evaluating the software after the decisions are implemented.
Inspection Reviews
This a very systematic process of quality control that identifies issues and defects which can endanger the quality of the software. The reason for calling it systematic is because the roles of the participants in this reviewing process are all pre-planned. Further, the team proceeds to check if the software complies with the required standards or not. And the main objective is to fix the defects as soon as possible.
Testing
Software testing is crucial for Quality Control. There are several types of testing available, including functional testing, black-box testing, usability testing, exploratory testing, compatibility testing, and regression testing. All these testing will ensure the product is well-performing as expected.
Roles and Responsibilities in Quality Control
Moderator
Who usually leads the review process, selects the attendees, and provides the team with the required information and documents.
Author
He is the product writer who explains the complicated areas of software development to the team in the most straightforward way possible.
Recorder
He is responsible for recording the issues found and also suggests necessary improvements if possible.
Reviewer
A reviewer is an expert who reviews the software, notes downs the issues, and suggests the modifications.
Quality isn’t a gift; it is a right, avail only quality products to your customers. We hope you don’t just win their trust but also their hearts. Don’t miss the opportunity to become a quality-driven business giant, thrive on it today. As well, don’t forget to read more blogs that answer your issues in software testing.
