Quality Assurance versus Quality Control

Introduction

Before knowing the difference between quality assurance and quality control, let us have a look at some statistics that indicate the importance of ensuring product or service quality in businesses. A Statista report reveals that in 2023, around 323 consumer goods were recalled, and 100 children’s products were recalled in the United States due to poor quality. 

These statistics reveal that businesses need to focus on quality improvement to ensure high customer value, and this can be done by quality control and quality assurance. This article explores the differences between quality assurance and quality control with the intent to discover which one has a greater role in quality improvement.

What is Quality Assurance?

The term ‘assurance’ refers to a commitment. In quality assurance, customers are assured that their products or services fulfill the quality requirements and stand up to the quality standards. Quality assurance takes place both internally and externally. 

In Internal assurance, organizations ensure having mechanisms and policies within it to live up to their standards. Conversely, external assurance of an organization is done by another organization external to it. It assesses the operations and programs of the organization to make sure it has achieved the pre-determined quality standards. Moreover, quality assurance is a series of processes conducted in an organization to identify, evaluate, and analyze the quality of products or services. It fosters continuous improvement.

What is Quality Control?

The quality control process is a segment of the quality assurance concept, aiming to control the quality of products or services by eliminating defects or errors from them. Generally, quality control activities are carried out during production to make sure the finished product is free from errors or issues that can threaten its quality. This process ensures products meet customer expectations and facilitates continuous improvements.

Quality Assurance vs Quality Control – Major Differences

Quality Assurance	Quality Control
Aims to prevent quality issues	Quality control identifies defects in products or issues in services to eliminate them from the finished products or services.
Quality assurance proactively designs and implements quality-ensuring processes.	Whereas quality control reactively checks produced products or designed services for quality improvements.
This is a broad process that encompasses quality control and other quality management activities.	Quality control solely focuses on inspection and testing of finished products or services.

Quality Assurance vs Quality Control – Differences in Process

Quality Assurance (Process)	Quality Control (Process)
Quality assurance ensures products and services meet customer expectations.	Quality control corrects defects or errors in products or services.
In the first stage quality standards are determined, along with requirements in quality assurance.	Quality control develops specifications detailing quality standards for products or services.
A quality control process is designed under the systematic process of quality assurance.	A quality control plan is developed specifying activities related to inspection and testing.
Quality audits take place to check if the quality standards are satisfied.	Data drawn from quality control activities are analyzed to find defects or issues.
Continuous improvements are executed.	Corrective actions are taken to improve quality.

Quality Assurance vs Quality Control – Differences in Approaches

Quality assurance and quality control differ in approaches as well. Let us find out the varied approaches of the two quality management initiatives-

Quality Assurance Approaches

1) Total Quality Management (TQM): TQM aims to facilitate continuous improvement encompassing all organizational members.

2) PDCA or plan-do-control-act Approach: This quality assurance approach involves planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluating, and adjusting as per results. 

3) Six Sigma: It utilizes statistics and data to identify defects and minimizes them to improve quality.

4) Theory of Constraints: Includes identification and resolution of bottlenecks in the manufacturing process to enhance quality.

5)ISO standards Compliance: This approach implements and regulates compliance with ISO standards by organizations to meet quality requirements and improve whenever required.

6) Lean Manufacturing: This quality assurance approach minimizes waste production in the manufacturing cycle to increase its efficiency in producing quality products.

7) Agile Methodology: It fosters the development of high-quality software solutions through an iterative process, ensuring continual development.

Quality Control Approaches

1) Taguchi Method: This quality control approach emphasizes statistical methods during product designing and development to avoid variation and make the products capable of performing in adverse situations.

2) Checklists: This involves creating a list of qualities that a product or service line must satisfy before launching.

3) Statistical Process Control: Uses statistical tools to regulate product quality during production.

4) Inspection: Identifies and eliminates errors or defects to ensure a good-quality product or service is delivered.

Quality Assurance vs Quality Control – Benefits

Advantages
Quality Assurance	It improves operational efficiency by streamlining operations, eliminating waste, enhancing quality, and improving performance. With a high-quality product or services, companies can attract more customers and give them an improved customer experience. Helps in winning competitive advantage by crafting products that stay ahead of the curve.
Quality Control	Like quality assurance, quality control also improves product quality by exceeding customer expectations. Helps in improving brand image with quality product and service delivery. Reduces chances of product failure as it eliminates defects before launching products or services.

Conclusion

For an effective quality management system, both quality assurance and quality control are salient parts. Although they serve the common purpose of quality improvement, differences in their processes, approaches, and operations are there. Quality control aims to detect and remove defects or errors from products or services. On the contrary, quality assurance intends to prevent the occurrence of those errors initially. In both cases, quality products and services are ensured to improve customer experience and enhance customer engagement.