QA is QualityAssurance

but
QC is QualityControl

The difference is that QA is process oriented and QC is product oriented.

Testing, therefore is product oriented and thus is in the QC domain. Testing for quality isn't assuring
quality, it's controlling it.

Quality Assurance makes sure you are doing the right things, the right way.

Quality Control makes sure the results of what you've done are what you expected.

Quality Assurance: A set of activities designed to ensure that the development and/or maintenance
process is adequate to ensure a system will meet its objectives.

Quality Control: A set of activities designed to evaluate a developed work product.

Testing: The process of executing a system with the intent of finding defects. (Note that the "process
of executing a system" includes test planning prior to the execution of the test cases.)

What is Quality?
Quality is meeting the requirement, expectation, and needs of the customer being free from defects,
lacks and substantial variants. There are standards needs to follow to satisfy the customer
requirements.

What is Assurance?
Assurance is provided by organization management, it means giving a positive declaration on a
product which obtains confidence for the outcome. It gives a security that the product will work
without any glitches as per the expectations or requests.

What is Quality Assurance?

Quality Assurance is known as QA and focuses on preventing defect. Quality Assurance ensures that
the approaches, techniques, methods and processes are designed for the projects are implemented
correctly. Quality assurance activities monitor and verify that the processes used to manage and
create the deliverables have been followed and are operative.
Quality Assurance is a proactive process and is Prevention in nature. It recognizes flaws in the
process. Quality Assurance has to complete before Quality Control.

What is Control?
Control is to test or verify actual results by comparing it with the defined standards.

What is Quality Control?

Quality Control is known as QC and focuses on identifying defect. QC ensures that the approaches,
techniques, methods and processes are designed in the project are following correctly. QC activities
monitor and verify that the project deliverables meet the defined quality standards.
Quality Control is a reactive process and is detection in nature.. It recognizes the defects. Quality
Control has to complete after Quality Assurance.

Difference between quality assurance and quality control

Many people think QA and QC are same and interchangeable but this is not true. Both are tightly
linked and sometimes it is very difficult to identify the differences. Fact is both are related to each
other but they are different in origins. QA and QC both are part of Quality Management however QA
is focusing on preventing defect while QC is focusing on identifying the defect.
Quality Assurance vs Quality Control

Quality Assurance Quality Control

It is a process which deliberate on QC is a process which deliberates on
providing assurance that quality fulfilling the quality request.
request will be achieved.
A QA aim is to prevent the defect. A QC aim is to identify and improve the
defects.
QA is the technique of managing the QC is method to verify the quality.
quality.
QA does not involve executing the QC always involves executing the
program. program.
All team members are responsible for Testing team is responsible for QC.
QA.
QA e.g. Verification. QC e.g. Validation.
QA means Planning for doing a process.QC Means Action for executing the
planned process.
Statistical Technique used on QA is Statistical Technique used on QC is
known as Statistical Process Control known as Statistical Quality Control
(SPC.) (SPC.)
QA makes sure you are doing the right QC makes sure the results of what
things. you’ve done are what you expected.
QA Defines standards and QC ensures that the standards are
methodologies to followed in order to followed while working on the product.
meet the customer requirements.
QA is the process to create the QC is the process to verify that
deliverables. deliverables.
QA is responsible for full software QC is responsible for software testing
development life cycle. life cycle.

Key Points
In QA, processes are planned to evade the defects.
QC agreements with discovery the defects and modifying them while making the product.
QA detects weakness.
QC detects defects.
QA is process oriented
QC is product oriented.
QA is failure prevention system.
QC is failure detection system.
Quality Assurance is process oriented and focuses on defect prevention, while quality
control is product oriented and focuses on defect identification.
Comparison chart
Quality Assurance versus Quality Control comparison chart
Quality Assurance
Definition QA is a set of activities for ensuring quality in
the processes by which products are
developed.
Focus on QA aims to prevent defects with a focus on
the process used to make the product. It is a
proactive quality process.
Goal The goal of QA is to improve development and
test processes so that defects do not arise
when the product is being developed.
How Establish a good quality management system
and the assessment of its adequacy. Periodic
conformance audits of the operations of the
system.
What Prevention of quality problems through
planned and systematic activities including
documentation.
Responsibility Everyone on the team involved in developing
the product is responsible for quality
assurance.
Example Verification is an example of QA
Statistical Statistical Tools & Techniques can be applied
Techniques in both QA & QC. When they are applied to
processes (process inputs & operational
parameters), they are called Statistical Process
Control (SPC); & it becomes the part of QA.
As a tool QA is a managerial tool
Orientation QA is process oriented
Quality Control
QC is a set of activities for ensuring
quality in products. The activities focus
on identifying defects in the actual
products produced.
QC aims to identify (and correct) defects
in the finished product. Quality control,
therefore, is a reactive process.
The goal of QC is to identify defects
after a product is developed and before
it's released.
Finding & eliminating sources of quality
problems through tools & equipment so
that customer's requirements are
continually met.
The activities or techniques used to
achieve and maintain the product
quality, process and service.
Quality control is usually
the responsibility of a specific team that
tests the product for defects.
Validation/Software Testing is an
example of QC
When statistical tools & techniques are
applied to finished products (process
outputs), they are called as Statistical
Quality Control (SQC) & comes under
QC.
QC is a corrective tool
QC is product oriented
 Differences between Quality Assurance and Quality Control
Definitions of QA and QC

 Quality Assurance (QA) refers to the process used to create the deliverables, and can be
performed by a manager, client, or even a third-party reviewer. Examples of quality assurance
include process checklists, project audits and methodology and standards development.
 Quality Control (QC) refers to quality related activities associated with the creation of project
deliverables. Quality control is used to verify that deliverables are of acceptable quality and
that they are complete and correct. Examples of quality control activities include inspection,
deliverable peer reviews and the testing process.
 Quality control is about adherence to requirements. Quality assurance is generic and does not
concern the specific requirements of the product being developed.
 Quality assurance activities are determined before production work begins and these activities
are performed while the product is being developed. In contrast, Quality control activities are
performed after the product is developed.