990-25产品经理:The Difference Between Quality Assurance and Quality Control 质量保证与质量控制的区别

It is important for an organisation to agree on what the meanings of Quality Assurance (QA) and Quality Control (QC). Both form an integral完整的 part of the organisation’s quality management plan, and the effectiveness of delivery teams relies on the differences being well understood by all stakeholders, including management.
对于一个组织来说，就质量保证（QA）和质量控制（QC）的含义达成一致是很重要的。两者都构成了组织的质量管理计划的一个组成部分，交付团队的有效性依赖于所有利益相关者，包括管理层，都能很好地理解这些差异。

Effective quality systems can contribute enormously巨大地 to the success of projects, but the counterpoint is that, when poorly understood, the quality systems are likely to be weak and ineffective in ensuring that the delivered system is delivered on time, built by the team within their allocated budget, and satisfies the customer’s requirements.
有效的质量体系可以极大地促进项目的成功，但相反的是，当理解不足时，质量体系很可能是薄弱的和无效的，以确保交付的系统是及时交付的，由团队在其分配的预算内建立，并满足客户的要求。

This article considers the difference between Quality Assurance and Quality Control. The concepts are investigated by looking at guidance from key industry players.
本文认为质量保证和质量控制之间的区别。这些概念是通过查看行业关键参与者的指导来研究的。

Introduction

How many times has it struck打 you that many practitioners从业人员 involved in the ICT field lack an understanding of the difference between Quality Assurance and Quality Control? Often you will hear someone talk about ‘QA’, when what they actually mean is ‘QC’.

This ambiguity歧义 consistently一致地 throws up problems and is a sure way of undermining a project. Projects are negatively affected as it tends to lead to strained conversations and makes reaching consensus difficult.

Although QA and QC are closely related concepts, and are both aspects of quality management, they are fundamentally从根本上 different in their focus:
有多少次你被ICT领域的许多从业者缺乏对质量保证和质量控制之间的区别的理解所震撼？你经常会听到有人谈论“QA”，而他们真正的意思是“QC”。

这种模糊性会不断地引发问题，并且肯定会破坏一个项目。项目的负面影响，因为它往往会导致紧张的对话，并使达成共识的困难。

虽然质量保证和质量控制是密切相关的概念，都是质量管理的方面，但它们的侧重点有着根本的不同：

QC is used to verify the quality of the output;
QA is the process of managing for quality.
QC用于验证输出的质量；
QA是对质量进行管理的过程。

Achieving success in a project requires both QA and QC. If we only apply QA, then we have a set of processes that can be applied to ensure great quality in our delivered solution, but the delivered solution itself is never actually quality-checked.
Likewise, if we only focus on QC then we are simply conducting tests without any clear vision for making our tests repeatable, for understanding and eliminating problems in testing, and for generally driving improvement into the means we use to deliver our ICT solutions.

In either case, the delivered solution is unlikely to meet the customer expectation or satisfy the business needs that gave rise to the project in the first place.
在项目中取得成功需要QA和QC。如果我们只应用QA，那么我们有一套流程可以应用于确保我们交付的解决方案的高质量，但是交付的解决方案本身从来没有进行过真正的质量检查。
同样，如果我们只关注QC，那么我们只是在进行测试，而没有任何清晰的愿景来使我们的测试具有可重复性，理解和消除测试中的问题，并普遍推动改进我们用于交付ICT解决方案的方法。

在任何一种情况下，交付的解决方案都不可能满足客户的期望，也不可能满足最初引起项目的业务需求。

Understanding the Difference Between QA and QC 了解QA和QC的区别

So, what exactly is the difference between Quality Assurance (QA) and Quality Control (QC)?

A good point of reference for understanding the difference is the ISO 9000 family of standards. These standards relate to quality management systems and are designed to help organisations meet the needs of customers and other stakeholders.

In terms of this standard, a quality management system is comprised of quality planning and quality improvement activities, the establishment of a set of quality policies and objectives that will act as guidelines within an organisation, and QA and QC.
那么，质量保证(QA)和质量控制(QC)到底有什么区别呢？

了解差异的一个好的参照点是ISO 9000族标准。这些标准与质量管理系统有关，旨在帮助组织满足客户和其他利益相关者的需求。

根据这一标准，质量管理体系包括质量计划和质量改进活动，建立一套质量政策和目标，作为组织内的指导方针，以及质量保证和质量控制。

In the ISO 9000 standard, clause 3.2.10 defines Quality Control as:
“A part of quality management focused on fulfilling quality requirements”

Clause 3.2.11 defines Quality Assurance as:
“A part of quality management focused on providing confidence that quality requirements will be fulfilled”

These definitions lay a good foundation, but they are too broad and vague to be useful. NASA, one of the most rigorous software engineering firms in the world, provides the following definitions:

Software Quality Control:
“The function of software quality that checks that the project follows its standards, processes, and procedures, and that the project produces the required internal and external (deliverable) products”

Software Quality Assurance:
“The function of software quality that assures that the standards, processes, and procedures are appropriate for the project and are correctly implemented”

Simply put, Quality Assurance focuses on the process of quality, while Quality Control focuses on the quality of output.
在ISO9000标准中，第3.2.10条将质量控制定义为:
“质量管理的一部分，重点是完成质量要求”

第3.2.11条将质量保证定义为：
“质量管理的一部分，重点是提供质量要求将得到满足的信心”

些定义打下了很好的基础，但过于宽泛和模糊，没有什么用。NASA，世界上最严格的软件工程公司之一，提供了以下定义：

软件质量控制：
“软件质量的功能，检查项目是否遵循其标准、过程和程序，以及项目是否产生所需的内部和外部（可交付）产品”

软件质量保证：
“软件质量的功能，它确保标准、过程和程序适合于项目，并被正确地实施。”

简单地说，质量保证侧重于质量的过程，而质量控制侧重于输出的质量。

Quality Assurance: a Strategy of Prevention 质量保证：一种预防策略

QA is focused on planning, documenting and agreeing on a set of guidelines that are necessary to assure quality. QA planning is undertaken at the beginning of a project, and draws on both software specifications and industry or company standards. The typical outcomes of the QA planning activities are quality plans, inspection and test plans, the selection of defect tracking tools and the training of people in the selected methods and processes.
QA的重点是规划、记录和商定一套确保质量所必需的指导方针。QA计划是在项目开始时进行的，并借鉴了软件规范和行业或公司标准。QA计划活动的典型结果是质量计划、检查和测试计划、缺陷跟踪工具的选择以及在所选择的方法和过程中对人员进行培训。

The purpose of QA is to prevent defects from entering into the solution in the first place. In other words, QA is a pro-active management practice that is used to assure a stated level of quality for an IT initiative.

Undertaking QA at the beginning of a project is a key tool to mitigate the risks that have been identified during the specification phases. Communication plays a pivotal role in managing project risk, and is crucial for realising effective QA. Part of any risk mitigation strategy is the clear communication of both the risks, and their associated remedies to the team or teams involved in the project.
QA的目的是首先防止缺陷进入解决方案。换句话说，QA是一种积极主动的管理实践，用于确保IT活动达到规定的质量水平。

在项目开始时进行QA是一个关键的工具，它可以减少在规格说明阶段识别的风险。沟通在项目风险管理中起着关键作用，是实现有效QA的关键。任何风险缓解策略的一部分都是将风险及其相关的补救措施清晰地传达给参与项目的团队。

Quality Control: a Strategy of Detection 质量控制：一种检测策略

Quality Control, on the other hand, includes all activities that are designed to determine the level of quality of the delivered ICT solutions. QC is a reactive means by which quality is gauged计量的 and monitored, and QC includes all operational techniques and activities used to fulfil requirements for quality. These techniques and activities are agreed with customers and/or stakeholders before project work is commenced.

QC involves verification of output conformance to desired quality levels. This means that the ICT solution is checked against customer requirements, with various checks being conducted at planned points in the development lifecycle. Teams will use, amongst other techniques, structured walkthroughs, testing and code inspections to ensure that the solution meets the agreed set of requirements.
另一方面，质量控制包括旨在确定所交付信通技术解决方案的质量水平的所有活动。质量控制是一种对质量进行测量和监控的反应性手段，质量控制包括所有用于满足质量要求的操作技术和活动。这些技术和活动在项目工作开始前与客户和/或干系人达成一致。

QC包括对输出符合所需质量水平的验证。这意味着ICT解决方案根据客户需求进行检查，在开发生命周期的计划点进行各种检查。在其他技术中，团队将使用结构化的演练、测试和代码检查，以确保解决方案满足商定的需求集。

Benefits of Quality Management 质量管理的好处

The benefits of a structured approach to quality management cannot be ignored.

Quality Control is used, in conjunction with the quality improvement activity, to isolate and provide feedback on the causes of quality problems. By using this approach consistently, across projects, the feedback mechanism works towards identifying root-cause problems, and then developing strategies to eliminating these problems. Using this holistic approach ensures that teams achieve ever higher levels of quality.

As a consequence of formulating and executing a quality management plan the company can expect:
结构化的质量管理方法的好处是不容忽视的。

质量控制与质量改进活动相结合，用于隔离质量问题的原因并提供反馈。通过跨项目一致地使用这种方法，反馈机制可以识别根本原因问题，然后开发策略来消除这些问题。使用这种全面的方法可以确保团队达到更高的质量水平。

作为制定和执行质量管理计划的结果，公司可以预期：

Greater levels of customer satisfaction, which will very likely result in both repeat business, as well as referral business
A motivated team that not only understand the policy objectives of the quality management plan, but who also actively participate in executing the plan
Elimination of waste by eliminating rework arising from either the need to address bugs, or to address gaps in the solution’s ability to meet customer requirements
Higher levels of confidence in planning, since the tasks arising from unplanned rework will fall away
Financial rewards for the company, which are a consequence of new projects from existing and referral clients, as well as through the reduction of monies spent on rework tasks.
更高水平的客户满意度，这将很可能导致两个重复业务，以及转介业务
一个积极的团队，不仅理解质量管理计划的方针目标，而且积极参与执行计划
通过消除因解决bug或解决方案满足客户需求的能力差距而产生的返工来消除浪费
对计划有更高的信心，因为计划外返工产生的任务将消失
公司的经济回报，这是现有客户和推荐客户的新项目的结果，以及通过减少用于返工任务的资金。

As the company’s quality management plan matures, the confidence of all stakeholders will grow. The company will be seen to be more effective and efficient in delivering an agreed ICT solution to clients.
随着公司质量管理计划的日趋成熟，所有利益相关者的信心也会增强。该公司将被视为更有效和高效地向客户提供商定的信息和通信技术解决方案。