Quality Assurance (QA) vs Quality Control (QC)

The article focuses on discussing the difference between Quality Assurance and Quality Control.

Quality Assurance

Quality assurance is a method of making the software application with fewer defects and mistakes when it is finally released to the end users. Quality Assurance is defined as an activity that ensures the approaches, techniques, methods, and processes designed for the projects are implemented correctly. It recognizes defects in the process. Quality Assurance is completed before Quality Control. 

• It focuses on preventing defects.
• It is a proactive process and is preventive in nature.
• It helps to recognize flaws in the process.
• These activities monitor and verify that the processes used to manage and create deliverables have been followed. 

Quality Control

Quality Control is a software engineering process that is used to ensure that the approaches, techniques, methods, and processes designed for the project are followed correctly. Quality control activities operate and verify that the application meet the defined quality standards. 

• It focuses on an examination of the quality of the end products and the final outcome rather than focusing on the processes used to create a product.
• It is a reactive process and is detection in nature.
• These activities monitor and verify that the project deliverables meet the defined quality standards.

Below are the differences between Quality Assurance and Quality Control:

Parameters	Quality Assurance (QA)	Quality Control (QC)
Objective	It focuses on providing assurance that the quality requested will be achieved.	It focuses on fulfilling the quality requested.
Technique	It is the technique of managing quality.	It is the technique to verify quality.
Involved in which phase?	It is involved during the development phase.	It is not included during the development phase.
Program execution is included?	It does not include the execution of the program.	It always includes the execution of the program.
Type of tool	It is a managerial tool.	It is a corrective tool.
Process/ Product-oriented	It is process oriented.	It is product oriented.
Aim	The aim of quality assurance is to prevent defects.	The aim of quality control is to identify and improve the defects.
Order of execution	It is performed before Quality Control.	It is performed after the Quality Assurance activity is done.
Technique type	It is a preventive technique.	It is a corrective technique.
Measure type	It is a proactive measure.	It is a reactive measure.
SDLC/ STLC?	It is responsible for the entire software development life cycle.	It is responsible for the software testing life cycle.
Activity level	QA is a low-level activity that identifies an error and mistakes that QC cannot.	It is a high-level activity that identifies an error that QA cannot.
Focus	Pays main focus is on the intermediate process.	Its primary focus is on final products.
Team	All team members of the project are involved.	Generally, the testing team of the project is involved.
Aim	It aims to prevent defects in the system.	It aims to identify defects or bugs in the system.
Time consumption	It is a less time-consuming activity.	It is a more time-consuming activity.
Which statistical technique was applied?	Statistical Process Control (SPC) statistical technique is applied to Quality Assurance.	Statistical Quality Control (SQC) statistical technique is applied to Quality Control.
Example	Verification	Validation