The Difference Between Quality Assurance and Quality Control

Have you ever wondered what is the difference between QA assurance and QC? Both sound pretty important, but what does each actually do? And which one should you be focusing on for your business? Let's find out together!

What is QA and QC?

What exactly is QA, and how is it different from QC? To understand that, let’s first skim through some definitions.

QA is defined as a process or set of procedures used to determine whether a product meets specified requirements. This can be done through quality control, which is the inspection of products to ensure they meet certain standards, or quality assurance, which is the creation of processes to prevent defects from happening in the first place.

Meanwhile, QC can be defined as the process of verifying whether a product meets quality standards. This is done through inspections, testing, and audits.

What Is QA and QC in Software Testing & What Are the Differences

What is the difference between QA and QC for software development? Here’s a quick summary.

In software testing, QA is focused on the process of ensuring that the software meets the requirements, while QC is focused on catching defects after they’ve been made.

QA includes activities like process improvement and quality control, while QC is limited to quality control. This means that QC will test the software to ensure that it meets the requirements, but it will not take steps to improve the process.

QA is a proactive process, while QC is a reactive one. This means that QA will try to prevent defects from happening in the first place, while QC will only catch them after they’ve been made.

QA can be seen as an umbrella term that includes QC, while QC is a part of QA.

So, Which One Should You Focus On?

QA and QC are both important, but which one should you focus on? The answer depends on your needs. If you want to prevent defects from happening in the first place, then you should focus on QA. If you want to catch defects after they’ve been made, then you should focus on QC.

How to Hire QA or QC Specialists for Your Company

If you’ve decided that you need to hire either QA or QC specialists for your company, then you’ll need to know how to find the right candidates.

Here are some tips:

• Look for candidates with experience in your industry

If you want to get the best results try to not hire juniors.  Look for someone with at least a few years of experience in your industry. They will be familiar with the specific challenges that come with it and will be able to hit the ground running.

• Look for candidates with experience in the specific type of testing you need

There are different types of QA and QC, so you’ll need to make sure that the candidates you’re considering have experience in the specific type of testing you require.

• Ask for referrals from your network

If you know someone who’s already employed QA or QC specialists, then ask them for referrals. They will be able to point you in the right direction and save you a lot of time in the screening process.

• Use a recruitment agency specializing in QA and QC

If you want to make sure that you find the best possible candidates, then you should use a recruitment agency specializing in QA and QC. They will have access to a wider pool of candidates and will be able to screen them more effectively.  You can also check out freelancing platforms. ITHire, for instance, has many professional QA and QC specialists available for freelance hiring who can successfully complete any task you need for your project.

• Conduct a trial period

Once you’ve found a few candidates that you like, conduct a trial period to see how they perform in the real world. This will give you a better idea of whether they’re a good fit for your company.