Quality control (QC) and quality assurance (QA) are two fundamental concepts in the field of quality management. Due to the existence of multiple definitions of the words “control” and “assurance” the terms are often used interchangeably to identify the practices and actions aimed at ensuring the quality of products and services. However, while these concepts are closely interlinked, they have a number of significant differences. In the most basic terms, quality control is a product-oriented set of practices that ensure the absence of defects in the produced goods whereas quality assurance is intended to minimize the likelihood of defect occurrence and, therefore, is process-oriented. Understandably, the said concepts require different methods, strategies, and tools.
The concept of quality in its contemporary form was established in the early twentieth century as a set of practices aimed at maintaining the engineering requirements of mass-produced goods. Over time, the practices have expanded to include quality assurance through independent means of verification and audit. By the end of the twentieth century, frameworks such as total quality management were applied to multiple areas of organizational practices, such as service and managerial sectors, to facilitate continuous improvement. This broadening of applications was arguably the most significant contributor to the emergence of two distinct disciplines.
Quality control can be defined as a set of practices aimed at the detection of defects in the product. It focuses on the identification and elimination of existing defects, making it a reactive process. In order to meet the expectations of customers, quality control needs to be applied after the manufacturing of the product and before its release. In the case of a food processing and packaging company, quality control must be established at the end of the production cycle (after the “Goods” section), with additional checks after each operation (before and after the “Sorting, mixing, heating” section). A designated team of specialists is usually responsible for quality control.
Quality assurance is a proactive process aimed at improving the organizational processes responsible for the quality of the final product. This is done by establishing managerial systems and performing regular audits. QA cannot be confined to a specific segment of operations since it includes all employees and systems of the organization. The goal of QA is to minimize the chance of defect occurrence. As can be seen, quality control is a product-oriented, corrective tool that involves a set of specific practices focused on detection and elimination of existing effects. On the other hand, quality assurance is a broader concept that includes process-oriented managerial strategies and solutions implemented on an organizational level.