Difference between Quality Assurance vs Quality Control

Let’s first look at PMBOK Guide definition for each: 

Perform Quality Assurance: The process of auditing the quality requirements and the results from quality control measurements to ensure appropriate quality standards and operational definitions are used.

Perform Quality Control: The process of monitoring and recording results of executing the quality activities to assess performance and recommend necessary changes.

(ref. PMBOK 5th page 227 or 255/619)

Key Takeaways:

• Both are “Prevention over inspection” and “DIRFT - Do It Right First Time” 
• Both lies the concepts of producing error free product from the start, because it’s more costly to fix an error afterwards

In layman terms:

• Quality Assurance

• is the process of laying out processes to prevent defects.
• makes sure that any process developed to produce a product is such that the product comes out of the process defect free, and conforms to all stated requirements.
• is a process based approach whose prime objective is to prevent defects in deliverables in the planning process itself to avoid the rework, which costs a lot.
• Quality audit is an example of a quality assurance process. Other examples of quality assurance are training, process definition, selection of tools, etc.
• is a proactive process, and it starts at the very beginning of the project to understand the product’s stated and non-stated requirements and expectations, and then develop the plan to meet these requirements and expectations.

• Quality Control

• is the process of measuring what we have in place to detect and repair any remaining defects.
• is a product based approach.
• is concerned with the operational activities and techniques that are used to fulfill the requirements of quality.
• functions start once the project work has begun.
• is a reactive approach and helps you find defects in deliverables.
• Inspection and product testing are a few examples of quality control tools.
• The objective of the quality control process is to make sure that the deliverables are defect free and acceptable as per the quality requirements set in the quality assurance process. If the deliverables are not found as per the requirements, a suitable corrective action will be taken.

How they relates?

Quality assurance and quality control processes are dependent on each other. The quality control process receives input from the quality assurance process, and in turn gives its feedback to the quality assurance process so that the quality assurance could validate the operational process.
For example, if the project team finds any defect during the project execution, they will correct the error and the feedback will be sent to the quality assurance team. The quality assurance people will investigate the cause of this error and they will take a corrective and/or preventive action in the process so that this error should never happen again in the future.
And once the process is updated, the quality control people will follow the process defined by the quality assurance team so that the defect does not recur.
So you see, the quality assurance process takes input from the quality control process, and the quality control process takes input from the quality assurance process.

How they differentiate against each other?

• In quality assurance, you plan to avoid the defect in the first place. On the other hand in quality control, you try to find defects and correct them while making the product.
• Quality assurance is all about prevention, and quality control is all about the detection.
• Quality assurance is a proactive process while quality control is a reactive process.
• Quality assurance is a process based approach while quality control is a product based approach.
• Quality assurance involves processes managing quality, and quality control is used to verify the quality of the product.
• Quality audit is an example of quality assurance. Inspection and testing are examples of the quality control process.
• The goal of the quality assurance process is to develop a process so that defects do not arise when you are producing the product, and quality control identifies the defects after the product is produced but is not yet released or is still in the production phase.

Case Scenario:

Let’s assume that you are manufacturing the iPhone. In QA you put all the processes in place to ensure that each iPhone is manufactured defect free. This would include the types of manufacturing equipment used, training people and documenting all production processes. QC comes into play after the fact by testing the finished product. For instance you do a sample testing to see if a randomly picked iPhone from your production line passes or fails the standards.

PMP - PMBOK5 - Learning ITTO to Pass the PMP test

A. Memorize the 47 processes, learn how ITTO works for each process. 

B. Build your ITTO flash cards early in your learning process.

     * Organize them so that you can see its pattern (e.g. paste them on a wall somewhere.)

C. Take PMP pre-tests, your weak processes will be areas for ITTO study. 

D. Use an ITTO apps from Android or Apple so that you can practice anywhere (or everywhere), anytime (or everytime).

* by Richard Kraneis

Quick Test (20Qs) - Project Scope Management

1. _____ refer(s) to all the work involved in creating the products of the project and the processes used to create them.

     a. Deliverables

     b. Milestones

     c. Product Development

     d. Scope

2.Which tool or technique for collecting requirements is often the most expensive and time consuming?

     a. Surveys

     b. Observation

     c. Interviews

     d. Focus Groups

3. A _____ is a deliverable-oriented grouping of the work involved in a project that defines its total scope. 

     a. Work Package

     b. WBS

     c. Scope Statement

     d. WBS Dictionary

4. What approach to developing a WBS involves writing down or drawing ideas in a nonlinear format? 

     a. Mind mapping

     b. Top-down

     c. Bottom-up

     d. Analogy

5. Assume that you have a project with major categories called planning, analysis, design and testing. What level of the WBS would these items fall under?

     a. 3

     b. 0

     c. 2

     d. 1

6. Which of the following is not a best practice that can help in avoiding scope problems on IT projects?

     a. Follow good project management processes

     b. Use off the shelf hardware and software whenever possible

     c. Keep the scope realistic

     d. Don't involve too many users in scope management

7. Why would a large company terminate a large project after spending $170 million USD on it?

     a. The company found better technology

     b. The scope could be too much to handle

     c. The company decided to outsource the work

     d. The government requirement that prompted the project was repealed

8. Scope _____ is often achieved by a customer inspection and then sign-off on key deliverables. 

     a. acceptance

     b. completion

     c. close-out

     d. validation

9. Which of the following is not a suggestion for improving user input?

     a. Co-locate users with developers

     b. Have users on the project team

     c. Develop a good project selection process for IT projects

     d. Only have meetings as needed, not on a regular basis

10. Project management software helps you develop a _____, which serves as a basis for creating Gantt charts, assigning resources, and allocating costs. 

     a. project plan

     b. schedule

     c. WBS

     d. deliverable

11. Going down a level in a WBS _____. 

     a. Results in a lesser degree of accuracy

     b. Results in a greater degree of accuracy

     c. Is only needed on projects over $1,000,000

     d. Allows the project manager to better develop the project charter

12. Who benefits from a WBS?

     a. The project manager and the customer

     b. The project manager

     c. The customer

     d. Neither project manager nor customer

13. A WBS dictionary does not _____.

     a. Designate the staff assigned

     b. Include the budget for the item

     c. Define the technical terms used in the project

     d. Identify the schedule dates for the item

14. At what stage of scope management do you develop a WBS?

     a. Definition

     b. Initiation

     c. Verification

     d. It is part of the project charter

15. What is "gold plating"?

     a. "Polishing" the project to get it down to the bare minimum

     b. Including enhancements that are not necessary to accomplish the objective of the project

     c. Part of the scope verification process

     d. Needed to keep the project on track

16. If you are approached by the customer and asked to make a change in the scope, you should _____.

     a. Defer the decision to your boss

     b. Inform the customer of the scope change procedure

     c. Make sure the customer understands the impact and proceed if they do

     d. Assign a specialist to handle the change

17. Scope verification _____. 

     a. Is not really a phase of scope management

     b. Assures the "correctness" of the result

     c. Should only be done at the final phase of the project

     d. Assures the "acceptance" of the result

18. The project chapter _____.

     a. Authorizes the project manager to use resources

     b. Is developed by the project team

     c. Includes a detailed WBS

     d. Is required before scope initiation can begin

19. Which of the following is an example of "constrained optimization"?

     a. Decision tree analysis

     b. Cost/benefit analysis

     c. Linear programming

     d. RPN analysis

20. The scope management plan is developed _____. 

     a. During scope planning

     b. During scope change control

     c. After the WBS is complete

     d. During scope initiation

21. Which forms the basis of the project plan?

     a. The risk analysis

     b. The project scope

     c. The product scope

     d. Scope verification

22. What is the objective of scope verification?

     a. The customer accepts the phase or project

     b. The project team assesses the quality of work

     c. The customer recognizes the quality of work

     d. The auditors sign off on the project

23. Why is a standard format for a WBS desirable?

     a. It avoids wasted time developing the structure of the exercise

     b. It can be used to develop a project charter

     c. All projects can be decomposed to the same level of detail

     d. It allows effective communication concerning the WBS level you are discussing

24. Which of the following would be found in a project charter?

     a. Detailed estimates

     b. The business case for the project

     c. Staffing plans

     d. Procurement plans

25. A senior manager external to the project should _____.

     a. Develop the project charter

     b. Develop the project budget

     c. Develop the project staffing plan

     d. Develop the project schedule

Project Management Framework: Project Manager - Skill Set

A Project Manger should:

• Know the PMBOK guide.
• Have the knowledge of the project and the industry that you’re working in. 
• Have performance knowledge from past project experience.
• Have personal skills.
• Have project management skills. 

Project Management Framework: Program & Portfolio Management

• Programs
• Collection of related projects
• Controls are implemented and managed in a coordinated way
• Collective benefits are realised
• Each project has a project manager
• Projects share resources and depends on the outcomes of other projects

• Portfolios
• Collection of programs and projects
• Projects meet a specific business goal or objective
• Includes weighing the value of each project against the portfolios strategic objective
• Ensures efficient use of resources

Project Management Framework: Knowledge Areas

• Project Integration Management
• Project Scope Management
• Project Time Management
• Project Cost Management
• Project Quality Management
• Project Human Resource Management
• Project Communication Management
• Project Risk Management
• Project Procurement Management
• Project Stakeholder Management

PMP: Professional Responsibility

Note: Ethics and Professional Responsibility has been removed from PMBOK Guide 5^th edition. However, related questions may still come out in exam. Thus, is good to know what’s is involved. It includes:

• Covers legal, ethical and professional behaviour of a PMP^®
• A PMP^® must follow the Project Management Institute Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct. 
• The responsibilities includes:
• Doing the right things
• Making good choices
• Keep learning and getting better
• Respecting other’s culture