Quality assurance vs quality control in Testing Fundamentals - Framework Approaches Compared

Framework Mode - Quality assurance vs quality control

Folder Structure Example

  quality_management_framework/
  ├── qa_processes/
  │   ├── standards/
  │   │   └── coding_standards.md
  │   ├── audits/
  │   │   └── audit_checklist.xlsx
  │   └── training_materials/
  │       └── qa_training.pdf
  ├── qc_tests/
  │   ├── test_cases/
  │   │   └── functional_tests.xlsx
  │   ├── test_scripts/
  │   │   └── automated_tests.py
  │   └── defect_reports/
  │       └── defects_log.csv
  ├── config/
  │   └── environment_settings.yaml
  ├── reports/
  │   ├── qa_reports/
  │   └── qc_reports/
  └── README.md
  

Test Framework Layers

• Quality Assurance (QA) Layer: Focuses on processes and standards to prevent defects. Includes documentation, audits, and training.
• Quality Control (QC) Layer: Focuses on actual testing activities to find defects. Includes test cases, test execution, and defect tracking.
• Configuration Layer: Manages environment settings and parameters for both QA and QC activities.
• Reporting Layer: Collects and presents results from QA audits and QC test executions for decision making.

Configuration Patterns

Use separate configuration files for different environments (development, staging, production) to control QA and QC activities.

• Store environment URLs, credentials, and test data in environment_settings.yaml.
• Use version control to track changes in QA standards and QC test scripts.
• Parameterize test scripts to run in different environments without code changes.

Test Reporting and CI/CD Integration

• Generate QA audit reports summarizing process compliance and improvements.
• Generate QC test reports showing pass/fail status and defect details.
• Integrate QC test execution into CI/CD pipelines to run automated tests on code changes.
• Use dashboards to visualize QA and QC metrics for stakeholders.

Framework Design Principles

1. Separate QA and QC: Keep process improvement (QA) and defect detection (QC) activities distinct but aligned.
2. Documentation is Key: Maintain clear QA standards and QC test cases for consistency.
3. Automate QC Tests: Use automation to speed up defect detection and regression testing.
4. Use Configurations: Manage environments and credentials separately to avoid hardcoding.
5. Continuous Feedback: Use reports to improve QA processes and fix defects faster.

Self Check Question

Where in this folder structure would you add a new automated test script for a login feature?

Key Result

Separate quality assurance processes from quality control testing to ensure both prevention and detection of defects.