Republic of the Philippines

TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

COLLEGE OF INDUSTRIAL EDUCATION
1000 Ayala Boulevard cor. San Marcelino St., Ermita, Manila
Tel.: (301) 3001; Local: 306
Website: http://www.tup.edu.ph

-Quality Assurance and Quality Control- Best Practices of QA and QC on: Industry-
Reporter: Rhynalyn U. Daet Date
Program: MAIE – Educational Technology Professor Doc. Apollo Portez

Quality Assurance (QA):

• Definition: QA is a systematic process that ensures that a product or service meets the specified requirements and is
free of defects.
• Focus: QA is proactive and concentrates on preventing defects in the development process. It involves the entire
development process and aims to improve processes and prevent issues before they occur.
• Responsibilities:
• Establishing and maintaining quality standards and processes.
• Conducting process audits and reviews to identify areas for improvement.
• Implementing best practices and methodologies.
• Training and mentoring team members on quality processes.
• Goal: The primary goal of QA is to prevent defects rather than detecting and fixing them after the product is developed.

Quality Control (QC):

• Definition: QC is a reactive process that involves activities and techniques used to fulfill the quality requirements of a
product or service. It is focused on identifying and fixing defects in the final product.
• Focus: QC is product-oriented and is implemented during or after the development phase. It involves activities such as
testing, inspection, and validation to ensure that the product meets the specified requirements.
• Responsibilities:
• Conducting inspections, tests, and reviews of the product.
• Identifying and documenting defects or deviations from quality standards.
• Verifying that the product meets customer expectations.
• Implementing corrective actions to address identified issues.
• Goal: The primary goal of QC is to detect and correct defects in the product to ensure that it meets the required quality
standards.

Quality Control Best Practices

1. Define Clear standards-
 Clearly define quality standards and specifications for products or services.
 Establish measurable criteria that can be used to evaluate conformance.
2. Inspection and Testing –
 Conduct regular inspections and testing at various stages of production.
 Use statistical sampling techniques to ensure representative results.
3. Training and Competence-
 Ensure that personnel involved in QC activities are adequately trained and competent.
 Keep staff updated on new inspection and testing techniques.
4. Documentation-
 Maintain detailed records of inspection and testing results.
 Document deviations from standards and corrective actions taken.
5. Feedback Loop-
 Establish a feedback loop between QC and production teams to address issues promptly.
 Use data from QC to identify areas for process improvement.
6. Calibration and Maintenance-
 Regularly calibrate measuring equipment to ensure accuracy.
 Implement a preventive maintenance program for production machinery.
7. Supplier Quality Control-
 Collaborate with suppliers to ensure that raw materials meet quality standards.
 Conduct audits and assessments of supplier processes.
 8. Continuous Improvement-
 Foster a culture of continuous improvement within the QC team.
 Use data analysis to identify trends and opportunities for enhancement.

Quality Assurance (QA) Best Practices

1. Quality policy and Objectives-
 Develop and communicate a clear quality policy and objectives throughout the organization.
 Ensure alignment with overall business goals.
2. Standard Operating Procedures SOPs-
 Establish and maintain SOPs for all critical processes.
 Regularly review and update procedures to reflect best practices
3. Training and Development-
 Provide ongoing training to employees on quality principles and procedures.
 Foster a culture of quality awareness and accountability.
4. Risk Management-
 Implement a robust risk management process to identify and mitigate potential quality issues.
 Conduct regular risk assessments for key processes.
5. Audit and Compliance-
 Conduct internal audits to assess compliance with quality standards and regulations.
 Address non-compliance issues promptly and implement corrective actions.
6. Document Control-
 Establish a system for controlling and managing documents, ensuring version control and accessibility.
 Keep records of changes to documents and the reasons for those changes.
7. Customer Feedback-
 Solicit and analyze customer feedback to identify areas for improvement.
 Use customer input to enhance products and services.
8. Data Analysis and Metrics-
 Implement data-driven decision-making by regularly analyzing key performance indicators (KPIs).
 Use metrics to track the effectiveness of QA processes and drive improvement.
9. Management Support-
 Ensure that top management is actively involved and supportive of QA initiatives.
 Allocate resources and create an environment conducive to quality.
10. Continuous Improvement-
 Encourage a culture of continuous improvement by regularly reviewing and refining QA processes.
 Use feedback loops from QC to drive improvements in QA systems.

Top 5 Industries in the Philippines implementing QA and QC Measures

1. Semiconductors and Electronics Manufacturing
2. Food and Beverages Processing
3. Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare
4. Automotive Manufacturing
5. Information Technology (IT) & Business Process Outsourcing (BPO