Quality assurance and quality control are the terms often used during quality management. However, what are the differences between these two important terms often used?
Quality control and assurance are commonly mixed up, but they actually involve separate processes occurring at different stages. Both have important roles in life sciences companies to ensure effective quality management. Knowing these roles can help your organization excel in delivering the finest products.
Both of them are very important parts of quality management, which have a few similarities and a few differences as well.
What is quality control?
Quality control (QC) comes into play after a product is made. It is like checking the results of a project or product to see if they meet the quality standards set beforehand. QC is a reactive process because it reacts to problems by spotting errors like:
– Bugs
– Faults
– Flaws.
This ensures that the product you are making is of good quality before it goes out to customers.
Organizations usually have a structured way of doing QC to make sure their products meet the mark.
What is quality assurance?
Quality assurance (QA) involves a series of actions and steps, known as quality standards, that are carried out during and after the development of a product or the management of a project. Its goal is to make sure that you are making a top-notch product or achieving successful project results.
It also aims to address any issues that customers might face after the product or service is launched. QA includes making sure that a project or product is moving forward toward completion and that a company or team is following certain standards or rules.
How does QA differ from QC?
Quality assurance involves following guidelines, policies, and procedures to ensure a product is of high quality and free from defects. On the other hand, quality control is about reviewing the actual product during production to confirm it meets the highest standards.
Quality assurance covers the entire process of a product or project, from planning to maintenance, while quality control specifically occurs during the inspection phase.
Another way to differentiate between QA and QC is that QA is proactive, whereas QC is reactive to any issues or problems discovered. QA concentrates on the processes throughout development, while QC is primarily concerned with the product itself.
Additionally, QA is a responsibility that extends across the entire organization, whereas QC is typically managed by smaller teams tasked with testing the product.
How can QA/QC be done while importing from China?
These days, most companies worldwide are trying to outsource their products from third-world countries like India or China, where QA and QC are very important to maintain the quality of the products.
Many companies from Western countries like the USA, UK and many other European countries find it very inconvenient to deal with Chinese companies due to cultural and language barriers.
A certain reliable China buying agent, such as Maple Sourcing, can provide a beneficial service to ensure the quality of products manufactured in China by monitoring both QC and QA.
