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What is the Difference between Quality Control and Quality Assurance?

Anmol Pandit on March 20, 2022

What do you make of the terms Quality Assurance and Quality Control? Are they two sides of the same coin, or do we unnecessarily mix them up? And if they indeed are different, what points do they differ on, and why is it important to know about those differences? Let’s find out.

Overview

It goes without saying that the most important objective for every organization has to be designing and delivering products as well as services of the highest quality. To help achieve this goal, quality management plays an extremely crucial role. Also Read: Difference between Quality Management and Quality Control

Quality Control (QC) and Quality Assurance (QA), the two focus areas of this blog, constitute an integral part of quality management. And hence, it becomes essential for every stakeholder to understand what QC and QA are, what their intricacies are, and how the two are different.

It is particularly important to understand the concepts of Quality Control and Quality Assurance, because there is a lot of ambiguity around the two terms, with quite a few people using them interchangeably. Even though the two are aspects of quality management, they are different in their focus. Also Read: What is the difference between Project management and Quality Management?

Through this blog, let’s understand what their definitions are, before proceeding to see the differences between them.

What is Quality Assurance?

The ISO (International Standardization Organization) defines Quality Assurance as, “Part of quality management focused on providing confidence that quality requirements will be fulfilled.”

Quality Assurance can be defined as a set of activities that are performed to ensure quality in the processes by which organizations develop their products or services in such a way that they satisfy the customer expectations.

Quality Assurance focuses on preventing defects, apart from planning, documenting, and implementing guidelines essential to assure quality output. It also includes monitoring and verifying whether the due processes have been followed, or not.

What is Quality Control?

ISO 9000 describes Quality Control as, “part of quality management focused on fulfilling quality requirements.”

Another crucial component of quality management, Quality Control can be defined as a set of activities that are performed to ensure the quality of the products or services that have been delivered.

That way, it is a strategy that’s being executed when the product has passed the development stage, and has entered into the manufacturing stage. It includes all the activities that are designed to determine the level of quality of delivered products and services.

Being reactive in nature, Quality Control focuses on identifying the defects, and can be performed only after Quality Assurance has been done. It also includes monitoring and verifying whether the project deliverables met the desired quality standards or not.

How are the two different?

Prudent organizations realize that it is important for the success of their different projects that they understand the difference between Quality Control and Quality Assurance. While we saw above what the two concepts mean, let’s take a look at three major differences between the two.

Focus: An important point the two approaches differ on happens to be the focus. Quality Assurance — being proactive in nature — focuses on preventing the defects before they occur, and also on steps to design processes like documenting standard operating procedures (SOPs). It ensures that the processes are followed effectively so that safe products of desired quality are delivered.

On the other hand, Quality Control, which is reactive in nature, identifies defects once they occur. It also ensures that the processes are duly followed to deliver products of highest quality, besides testing the products post production to check whether all the safety measures are met or not.

Orientation: Another point where Quality Assurance and Quality Control differ is their orientation. Quality Assurance is essentially process-oriented. It focuses on preventing quality issues, with an emphasis on designing processes such as documentations, audits, training, change management, etc. in such way that any defects are avoided.

Quality Control, on the other hand, is product-oriented. As mentioned earlier, it identifies the quality issues in the products that have already been manufactured. So where the two approaches essentially differ is the fact that while QA involves the processes that create the product, QC focuses on the finished product through processes such as batch monitoring, inspection, validation, and testing, etc.

Responsibility: Lastly, responsibility is another point where the two differ from each other. The Quality Assurance activities are predominantly the responsibility of the entire quality management team. Every single team member is responsible for ensuring that the SOPs are being followed, and contributing towards designing the quality procedures.

Quality Control, on the other hand, happens to be the responsibility of the testing team within the quality management team, which is supposed to follow the SOPs. The QC team is also supposed to document the results of product testing based on the standard procedures for product validation.

To sum up

Both Quality Assurance and Quality Control constitute an integral part of the quality management process for any organization. Understanding the two concepts, and the differences between them in a better manner, will help the quality management professionals to design, assess, and execute their plans efficiently so as to ensure the final output is of highest quality.

A Quality management software such as QualityMaster covers both the quality assurance as well as control aspects, while handling the broader concept of quality management. Want to know how this quality control system can help you manage Quality Assurance and Quality Control processes in particular, and quality in general? Get in touch for a free demo of this best-in-class QMS software.

Different Types of Quality Management Systems

Anmol Pandit on February 23, 2022

The renowned art critic John Ruskin’s insight resonates across industries, highlighting the essence of deliberate effort and meticulous planning in achieving and sustaining quality, be it in art or business. In today’s fiercely competitive landscape, an organization’s commitment to consistently upholding high-quality procedures and products significantly influences its prospects for success.

Quality, as Ruskin aptly observed, isn’t a happenstance occurrence but a deliberate pursuit. It necessitates continual efforts, thorough analysis, and a dedicated commitment to improvement.

Enhancing your Quality Management System (QMS) stands as one of the most valuable investments an organization can make. Strengthening this system serves as the bedrock for delivering top-notch products and services while fostering a culture of quality excellence throughout the organization.

In essence, a robust and evolving Quality Management Software not only ensures the delivery of superior products and services but also fosters a competitive edge, customer satisfaction, and long-term success in today’s dynamic business landscape.

A Quality Management System is Beneficial for a Variety of Reasons.

A Quality Management System (QMS) refers to a structured framework of policies, processes, procedures, and resources established within an organization to ensure it consistently meets and exceeds quality standards in its products or services.

When discussing different types of QMS, it’s essential to recognize that various standards or methodologies exist, each offering a unique approach to achieving and maintaining quality. These standards aim to guide organizations in implementing effective quality management practices.

Some Notable QMS Standards and Methodologies Include:

ISO 9001: One of the most recognized international standards for QMS, emphasizing a process-oriented approach to quality management, customer satisfaction, and continuous improvement.
Six Sigma: A methodology focused on reducing defects and variability in processes by using statistical methods to achieve near-perfect results, often aiming for no more than 3.4 defects per million opportunities.
Total Quality Management (TQM): A holistic approach that involves all employees in continuous improvement to meet or exceed customer expectations. TQM emphasizes customer focus, continuous improvement, and employee involvement.
Lean Manufacturing: A methodology primarily focused on minimizing waste and maximizing value through continuous improvement efforts, streamlining processes, and optimizing efficiency.
Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI): Primarily used in software and systems engineering, CMMI provides guidelines for improving processes and capabilities within an organization.

Understanding these different methodologies allows businesses to assess and choose the QMS that aligns best with their goals, industry requirements, and organizational culture. Each approach has its unique strengths and focuses, catering to various business needs and objectives.

What is Quality Management Software?

Quality Management Software facilitates the coordination of processes, policies, procedures, documentation, and resources essential for meeting customer needs and expectations.

As industrial manufacturing expanded, Quality Management Systems emerged to ensure consistent outcomes amid higher volumes and increased specialization.

Today’s market demands precision, speed, and scalability, necessitating Quality Management Software to reduce errors, minimize delays, and enhance customer satisfaction. Notably, the concept of quality has broadened to encompass environmental and privacy concerns alongside production standards.

Modern QMS requires collaboration among people and efficient allocation of capital and resources. This underscores the need for dedicated QMS system.

For implementing a QMS or achieving specific quality compliance, choosing a suitable Quality Management Software from the options listed below is vital.

Types of Quality Management System

The ISO systems stand out as the most prevalent and referenced types of quality management solutions and standards.

The ISO family of quality standards finds application across diverse industries, addressing both quality and sustainability. While ISO 9001 stands as the globally recognized and widely adopted standard, specific industries may benefit from additional accreditations and standards tailored to their requirements.

Despite varying quality levels across industries, they often share common principles and employ similar quality statements, as illustrated above.

While many companies prioritize meeting these quality standards and management systems, efficient coordination and management of these components become crucial, particularly in complex operational scenarios. This is where the ‘types of quality management software‘ play a pivotal role.

Key Takeaway

Implementing a QMS system is vital for embedding quality across a company’s operations and products. The choice of system depends on the company’s specific quality criteria, with ISO 9001 being among the most prevalent standards.

Build a robust QMS for your company today and set yourself apart in a competitive landscape. Contact us now to get started!

What is the Difference between Quality Management and Quality Control?

Anmol Pandit on January 15, 2022

The single most important attribute people look for in a product or a service is quality. For the same reason, it becomes mandatory for all business organizations around the world to understand the concept of quality, which has got many layers to it.

The term quality is usually used as a synonym for “good.” Leading brands project their offerings as “high quality”, “top quality”, or “superior quality”. However, this is just a superficial understanding of the subject, as the concept of quality is much more complicated than it appears.

It is not just a term to be used in the marketing material, but an attribute which should be an inherent part of the integral business processes or policy documents. It is a much broader aspect to understand than what it sounds. Here, we make an attempt to decode it for you:

First things first, what’s Quality?

Interpreted as a parameter to judge the inferiority or superiority of a product or service, Quality is simply a measure of goodness to understand how a product or service meets its specifications, and satisfies customer’s expectations. It is a subjective attribute, and is generally understood differently by different people.

Quality has different interpretations in business world too. For the producer, it is the degree to which the product was manufactured correctly, while for the consumer, it is the degree to which a product or a service meets their requirements, or to how it compares on different parameters to its competitors’ offering.

ISO 9000 defines quality as the degree to which a set of inherent characteristics fulfills requirements.

Quality covers everything, and has its own intangible benefits!

The scope of quality covers everything. Each and every product, service, process, action, or decision in an organization falls under the umbrella of quality, and can be judged on its terms – how good is it, is it good enough, or how can it be made better?

Businesses strive for quality in order to not just survive, but to thrive as well. How well they manage quality determines their reputation at the marketplace, as well as in the eyes of their customers.

What’s more, quality is that shield for them which protects against potential risks, increases their efficiency, boosts profitability, and help them attain a position of competitive advantage. Not to mention, the happiness and satisfaction it brings for their staff as well as customers.

Different aspects of quality

When it comes to the businesses, there are many aspects of quality. Some of the terminologies that are often used in this context include Quality Assurance (QA), Quality Control (QC), and Quality Management. As a matter of fact, these terms are used alternatively to refer to ways of ensuring quality of a service or product. However, they are intrinsically different.

Quality Management is that mechanism through which the organizations maintain uniformity and consistency in their products and services. It focuses on end-to-end processes, right from the quality of products and services to the activities and means to achieving it and consistently managing it. QA and QC, apart from Quality Planning & Quality Improvement, fall under it.

Since this blog aims to focus only on the difference between Quality Management and Quality Control, we shall not touch upon the other aspects. Quality Control, essentially, refers to a set of procedures implemented to ensure that a product or a service complies with the quality criteria defined by the company and the requirements of the customers.

How Quality Management and Quality Control are different?

ISO 9000 identifies QC as a process by which entities review the quality of all factors involved in production, and defines it as “a part of quality management focused on fulfilling quality requirements“. The operative part of this definition happens to be “a part of”, which clearly suggests that Quality Control is a subset of Quality Management.

A process to review quality in every aspect of production focusing solely on the pre-defined requirements, Quality Control is more about the operational activities. Inspection is its major component, as Quality Control is also referred to as the inspection process in quality management.

Quality Management is the planning stage; where quality standards are set and agreed upon, specifications are decided, and key metrics are defined to determine how well the project meets the outlined specifications. Quality Control, on the other hand, is about evaluating how well the project conforms to the specifications decided during the quality management phase.

Should the terms be used interchangeably?

The terms Quality Management and Quality Control are often used interchangeably because of the general perception that QC is responsible for quality planning as well. While this might hold true only for organizations that don’t have separate departments for QC and quality planning, quality management and quality control are handled by different people at all other places.

Additionally, both Quality Management and QC require a set of tools to ensure quality and run all the complex quality operations smoothly. Most organizations turn towards a quality management software to achieve the same. Thanks to such advanced total quality management system, many organizations have found a successful way to manage every process from quality planning to quality control in a hassle-free manner.

QualityMaster is one such quality management software that covers both the quality planning as well as control aspects. It handles the broader concept of quality management, and also quality control, which is a part of the former. Curious how this quality control system can help your business manage quality? Get in touch today for a free demo of this best-in-class QMS software.