 Difference Between Quality Control and Assurance

Clearly, there are marked differences between quality guarantee and quality control.
Assurance of quality is a set of preventive activities, which are focused on processes whereas
quality control is a detection activity, which is focused on detecting the defects once the
product is manufactured. Assurance defines the standards to be followed in order to meet the
customer requirements whereas quality control ensures that these defined standards are
followed at every step. This is done by conducting various tests and checks. Based on these
tests and checks, the quality control prepares regular reports that act as an input to the
assurance of quality department which then reviews the same and decides on the corrective
and preventive actions required in the processes.

Despite the differences in the definition of quality assurance and quality control, these terms
are often used interchangeably. But whatever you term it as, the importance of both cannot
be undermined. Quality guarantee department develops all the planning processes and
procedures that try to make sure that the products manufactured by the organization or the
service delivered by the organizations will always be of good quality. Despite all these, some
process parameters cannot be controlled and here is where quality control comes into picture.
They check the products or services for the defects that happen due to these parameters and
hence help quality control in achieving the overall objective of providing a defect-free product
or service to the customers. So whether you call it assurance or control, quality is the goal.