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mÊ Most people use the two terms quality control and quality assurance synonymously to
refer to the same concept. While on the face of it, it sounds okay but in effect, this is
an incorrect tendency that points at an inadequate understanding of quality
management systems and processes.

Here is the explanation of the two quality processes, their differences and the
importance of understanding these differences.

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Quality control is a failure detection system that uses a testing technique to identify
errors or flaws in products and tests the end products at specified intervals.

The main issue of using this system is that if the products are not subject to tests at
regular intervals, the cost of tests will outweigh the benefits to the company.



Quality control and assurance feature entirely different tasks. The processes of quality
control involve calibration, sampling and documenting reviews.

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Quality control tasks are usually carried out by experts who are directly involved with
the design, research or manufacture of a product. A quality monitoring professional
just has to report to his department ± no further.

 



With a web-based system, quality control software helps automate all electronic tests
and checks. Such checks include automatic distribution of training exams, customer
complaint documentation and record keeping of documents or electronic forms related
to QC and QA processes.

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Assurance of quality is a failure prevention system that predicts almost everything

about product safety, quality standards and legality that could possibly go wrong and
then takes steps to control and prevent flawed products or services from reaching the
advanced stages of the supply chain.
 

Quality guarantee processes involve implementing real-time quality checks in every

department of the company like designing, research, manufacturing and marketing.

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Unlike quality control tests, assurance of quality tests are conducted by third party
quality monitoring companies or corporate administrators. This is a major difference
between quality control and quality assurance .

 
 


Quality software offers tracking and analytics features. The most important
requirement of quality monitoring software is the flexibility to be customized
according to the specific needs of the client.

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It is very necessary to treat quality control activities as different from the tasks of
assurance of quality due to the following reasons

›Ê A product that is subject to regular quality control checks will not be entirely
successful if the assurance processes that monitor the tests are not efficient.
›Ê Another important fact is that QC and QA tasks must not be assigned to the
same person. Since the activities of quality monitoring maintains a smooth
progress of quality control functions, delegating these two jobs to one person
will result in a conflict of interest.
›Ê It is often found that while some companies concentrate more on quality
control, others focus mainly on assurance of quality. For efficient running and
quality products, both these processes must be subject to proper evaluation and
management.

To ensure a solid foundation for a well-managed and regulated company, it is

essential to understand why it is important to implement quality control and quality
assurance activities and how these activities can be successfully accomplished.