The major elements of the quality management, are quality assurance and quality control. Quality Assurance, assures that the right production process is performed in the right manner. Quality Control, on the other hand, ensures that the product will match the requisite standard. While the former stresses on preventing from defects, the latter concentrates on identifying the defects.
At present quality, is king, it is one of the major concern of every customer, it is decided by the customer and is implemented to the product or service in the designing phase. In this regard quality management is a system which ensures that the quality in the process, product or services provided are according to the standard.
Every organisation works for continual improvement in the customer satisfaction, which can be done with the help of increasing the quality. We all have a little bit of confusion regarding the differences between quality assurance and quality control. So remove your ambiguities, with the below-given differences.
Content: Quality Assurance Vs Quality Control
Comparison Chart
| Basis for Comparison | Quality Assurance | Quality Control |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Quality Assurance is the process which guarantees that the preferred level of quality is fulfilled in the product or service at each phase of the process. | Quality Control is a technique which ensures that the product quality is, as per the set standards. |
| Approach | Proactive | Reactive |
| Focus on | Process | Product |
| Concept | Protection from defects | Finding out the defects |
| System | Prevention based system | Correction based system |
| Activity | Verification | Validation |
| Function | Staff Function | Line Function |
| Creation of quality | Designing stage | Control stage |
| Emphasis | Customer | Standard |
Definition of Quality Assurance
A set of well-organized activities that are implemented in the organisation’s quality management system, to ensure that the product or service will match the quality standards is known as Quality Assurance. It is a planned process that identifies the product or service at the time of its development that whether they can meet the set requirements. Here the objective is to find out the cause of non-conformance and take remedial steps to eliminate it, so as to increase the quality level and also assure one.
Quality Assurance is not only a process but a complete system that gives adequate confidence, that the product or service is upto the mark.
Many transnational companies have a department, which is specifically dedicated to quality assurance. It increases customer satisfaction along with improving the reputation of the company. Moreover, it helps the entity to gain a competing position in the market. It is considered as a preventive tool which prevents poor quality in product and services before it is given a final shape. It saves the time and cost of the organisation.
Definition of Quality Control
A set of planned operational techniques and procedures, which are required to meet the quality criteria of a product is known as Quality Control. The process helps in detecting the flaws in the product and removing them so that the product will adhere the quality standards defined by the organisation. In quality control, there is a need to discover controls for an activity, in terms of process, work in progress stage inspection, performance recording for feedback.
In this process, all the factors which are employed in the development of the product are taken into consideration for review. Once the product is completed, it has to go through from the testing, to disclose the deficiency in the product. After testing, the anomalies in the product is recorded and reported to the management who decides whether to accept or reject the product.
First of all, the entity should set the quality standards. After that, it should plan the corrective actions which are to be undertaken to ensure the quality in the product. Then the facts are collected and reported to the management of the company which takes remedial actions for improving the quality of the product.
Key Differences Between Quality Assurance and Quality Control
The following are the major differences between quality assurance and quality control.
- The set of activities which takes into confidence that the quality of the process by which the product is developed is up to the mark is known as Quality Assurance. The set of procedures which guarantees the fitness of the product is known as Quality Control.
- Quality Assurance is pro-active which is just opposite of the Quality Control because quality assurance takes place at the time of development of the product, but the quality control takes place after the final product is produced.
- quality assurance lays emphasis on the customer, however, quality control lays emphasis on standards.
- Quality Assurance keeps focusing on process, whereas the product is the main focus of Quality control.
- Quality Assurance protects the product from defects while Quality Control detects and sort out the defects in the product.
- In quality assurance, quality is created during the designing phase. On the contrary, in quality control, quality is created at the control stage.
- Quality Assurance is a staff function, which is not in the case of Quality Control.
- Quality Assurance is a preventive action, but Quality Control is a corrective measure.
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Conclusion
Every entity wants to gain maximum customer satisfaction. Nowadays people are becoming quality sensitive, and that is why they do not want to compromise with the product which is inferior regarding quality. Quality Assurance and Quality Control are the two tools which help to provide quality products to the users.
John T. Harris says
Excellent !
Shakespear Mureyani says
Educational
R.D. Karkhele says
Knowledgeable..!
Josiane says
Knowledgeable