DIFFERENCE BETWEEN QA AND QC

As weve talked in a previous post about the

Definition of Quality, with these 2 terms exist the same
issue where every single person/organization
definesQuality Assurance(QA) andQuality Control(QC) in
a bit different way. Also, many people including HHRR
(Human Resources) and quality professionals do not know
what QA and QC really means, and what the difference is
between both terms. For those reasons, these concepts
areoften used interchangeably, and in some organizations
one department performs the activities of both.

Quality Assurance
Assurance: The act of giving confidence, the state of
being certain or the act of making certain.
QA: The planned and systematic activities
implemented in a quality system so that quality
requirements for a product or service will be fulfilled.
Other definition
QA is afailure prevention system that predicts
almost everything about product safety, quality
standards and legality that could possibly go wrong,
and then takes steps to control and prevent flawed
products or services from reaching the advanced
stages of the supply chain.
QA departmentdevelopsall the planning processes
and procedures in order to try to make sure that the
products manufactured or the service delivered by
the organization will be of good quality.
QAdefinesthe standards/methodology to be followed
in order to meet the customer requirements.*

Quality Control
Control: An evaluation to indicate needed corrective
responses; the act of guiding a process in which
variability is attributable to a constant system of chance
causes.
QC: The observation techniques and activities used to
fulfil requirements for quality.
Other definition
QC is afailure detection systemthat uses a testing
technique to identify errors or flaws in products and
tests the end products at specified intervals, to ensure
that the products or services meet the requirements as
defined during the earlier process for QA.
As some process parameters cannot be controlled, QC
departmentchecks the products or services for defects
that happen due to these parameters, trying to achieve
the overall QC objective of providing a defect-free
product or service to the customers.
QCensuresthat the defined standards are followed at
every step.*


*This is done by conducting various tests and checks.
Based on them, the QC prepares regular reports that act as
an input to the QA department which then reviews the
same and decides on thecorrective and preventive
actions required in the processes.

In general, the QAactivities

are done beforethe
product is manufactured or
the service delivered
(proactive approach).
QA isprocessoriented.
QAmakes sureyou are
doing the right things, the
right way.
QA tasks areconducted by
managers, third party
auditors, and customers.*

The QCactivities are done

duringthe manufacturing process
and once the product is
manufactured.
QC is productoriented.
QCmakes surethe results of
what youve done are what you
expected.
QC tasks areexecuted byexperts
who are directly involved with the
design, or manufacture of a
product on the shop floor such as
engineers, inspectors, etc.*

EXAMPLES,

A QA audit would focus on

the process elements of a
project. e.g.: Are
requirements being defined
at the proper level of
detail?
Process documentation
Establishing standards
Developing checklists
Conducting internal audits

A QC review will focus on

product elements. e.g.: Are
the defined requirements
the right requirements?
Performing inspections
Preforming testing

EXAMPLE

QC detected a recurrent problem with the quality of the

products. QC provides feedback to QA personnel that there
is a problem in the process or system that is causing
product quality problems. QA determines the root cause of
the problem and then brings changes to the process to
ensure that there are no quality issues in future.

NOTE 1: Quality Assurance AKA Quality Guarantee

NOTE 2: QA/QC are not limited to the manufacturing field,
they can be applied to any business or non-business activity
such us services, software, banking, transportation, office,
education, etc.
CONCLUSION
Both departments are essential to maintain good quality of
the deliverables.
And keep in mind no matter how you define QA and QC,
the goal is:to delivery goodquality.