Quality Assurance (QA) and Quality Control (QC) play a crucial role in the software development and testing process to enhance the overall quality aspect of the application or product. Both have a few similarities such as streamlining quality and ensuring that the quality expectations of the client are adequately met. However,when it comes to tactical implementation, both have different strategic roles to play. In this article, you will get to know the differences between QA and QC along with examples for each.
What is Quality Assurance (QA)?
It is a strategic quality-based process that ensures defects are prevented. The processes, methods, techniques and approaches that have been designed to make the projects work effectively are implemented tactically. The processes that are used to create and manage the deliverables are monitored and verified to ascertain the level of their functionality.
It is a proactive process, wherein the flaws in the process need to be recognized. QA needs to be completed before quality control. QA outsourcing is also a viable option based on certain considerations.
What is Quality Control (QC)?
The project deliverables are monitored and verified to ascertain whether it meets the defined quality standards. It is a reactive process. It is a specific part of quality management that is responsible for fulfilling quality requirements. It is focused on inspecting quality management activities.
The differences between QA vs QC will help in understanding QA and QC in a better manner.
Quality Assurance
Quality Control
It provides an assurance that the quality aspect will be duly achieved
It focuses on fulfilling quality requests and complying with quality standards
The objective is to prevent the defect
The objective is to improve and identify the defects
Quality is tactically managed
Quality is tactically verified
Program execution is not involved
Program execution is always involved
Statistical Process Control (SPC) is the statistical technique used
Statistical Quality Control (SQC) is the statistical technique used
Deliverables are created in this process
Deliverables are verified in this process
QA Example:
For example, there is an upcoming project wherein a completely new technology is being used and the team must get acquainted with it. There should be a well-defined training plan that needs to be created so that the team members get trained on this new technology.
Pre-requisites like functional requirement document, technical requirement document, design document, DOU (Document of Understanding), etc., need to be collected so thatthey can be shared by the team. This would prove to be helpful when any newcomer has been recruited into the team and also while working on the new technology. In this manner, the documentation is collected and distributed so that the training program can be initiated.
QC Example:
Once the training is imparted to the team members, there should be a mechanism to measure the progress of the training program. For this purpose, certain specific statistical inputs need to be analyzed. Statistical analysis related to the marks trainees has achieved in each subject and the minimum number of marks that are expected after training completion. Also, the candidate’s attendance record can be checked to know whether all the candidates have attended the training in full.
If the marks that have been scored by candidates are up to the trainer/evaluator’s expectations then the training program can be considered to be successful, otherwise certain training specific processes can be improved to deliver high-quality training.
Feedback from trainees can be collected to improve the training program related activities. Through the training program related feedback that has been obtained, the team can know what training specific areas were up to the mark and what are the areas that need to be improved. This entire training related analysis comes under the quality control realm.
Conclusion: If you are looking forward to implementing Quality testing for your specific project, then do get connected with a professionally acclaimed software testing services company that will provide you with a methodical testing roadmap that is in line with your project specific requirements.