Is QA part of product management?

Quality Assurance (QA) is typically not considered a direct part of product management, but it is closely related and often works in collaboration with product management teams.

Here are some points that can differentiate both fields:

Product Manager	Quality Assurance
Product managers are responsible for defining the overarching vision and strategy for a product. This involves understanding market needs, customer pain points, and business goals.	QA teams are responsible for ensuring that the product functions as intended. This involves various testing activities, including functional testing, regression testing, performance testing, security testing, and usability testing.
They create product roadmaps that outline the features and enhancements to be developed over time. Prioritization is a key aspect, as product managers must decide which features will deliver the most value to customers and the business.	QA professionals identify defects, bugs, and inconsistencies in the product. They meticulously document these issues and report them to the development team for resolution.
Product managers work closely with stakeholders, customers, and internal teams to define product requirements. They articulate what needs to be built and why it’s important.	QA teams create test plans and test cases based on product requirements and user scenarios. They execute these test cases manually or through automation tools to validate the product’s behavior.
QA is not just about finding bugs; it’s also about improving processes and preventing future issues. QA teams analyze defects and testing results to identify areas for improvement in development processes, coding practices, and testing strategies.	Both product management and QA share the common goal of delivering a high-quality product that meets customer needs and business objectives. Collaboration between these teams is essential for achieving this goal.

While Product Management and QA have distinct roles and responsibilities, they are interconnected parts of the product development process. By working together effectively, they can ensure that the product meets quality standards, fulfills customer requirements, and achieves success in the market.