Difference between QA and Testing

Key difference: Quality assurance and testing are often confused. Quality assurance studies the manufacturing process and determines the defect in the production process, whereas testing is the process of inspecting the product at various stages to keep defective items from reaching the customer.

The term QA stands for ‘Quality Assurance’. QA is a process or set of processes which is used to measure and assure the quality of a product. It is process orientated.

The goal of QA is to improve and develop the test processes. It aims to prevent defects, as it simply focuses on the processes which are used to make the products. This process is meant for achieving and improving quality. It prevents quality problems through planned and systematic activities. There are periodic performance audits and complete documentation of operations taking place in the system.

The QA uses a number of tools for enhancing the quality of a process. These tools vary from simple techniques to sophisticated software systems. These tools are applied to process inputs and operational parameters of a process. Therefore, a constant effort is made to enhance the quality of the production process.

Testing The term ‘testing’ is commonly referred to as quality control. It is a preventive measure or method to ensure the quality of a certain product or service.

Testing involves the actual operation or use of the product. This is done in a very controlled environment under various conditions. After the testing, the result are written, cataloged, and stored in a file. This file is then studied, interpreted and assessed to check whether the product is up to the prescribed standards of the company and the market. If the product passes testing, it is then ready to be marketed and distributed to the public.

The goal of testing is to detect and find errors in the products. They also help in recommending procedures on how to prevent the errors in products. Testing complies with the pre-determined standards, regulations, procedures, and methods before conducting the actual test. However, if the product or service doesn’t comply, it is taken for re-evaluation and further examination. This way, the product is being ensured of its quality. Testing acts like a validation process for the product and is independent in nature.

Comparison between QA and Testing:

	QA	Testing
Definition	It is the process or the methods used in order to produce a quality product.	It is a preventive measure or method to ensure the quality of a certain product or service.
Involvement	It involves ensuring the quality of the process before the actual testing.	It involves the actual operation or use of the product.
Evaluation	It evaluates and monitors the production process.	It only evaluates the products.
Goal	Prevention of error	Finding error
Orientation	Process orientated	Product orientated
Scope	It has a wider scope and other components like security, user satisfaction, stability, quality, and usability.	It is just a component of quality assurance.=