Fundamentals of Testing

Generally, People consider Quality Assurance and Testing terms the same and use them interchangeably, but they are not the same. They have different goals and methods to apply. Quality Management links Quality Assurance and Testing together and makes them related.

Quality Management includes many activities that direct and control an organization about Quality, and among these activities, two are Quality Assurance and Quality Control.

Quality Assurance is generally focused on adherence to proper processes to provide confidence that the appropriate levels of Quality will be achieved. Quality Control involves different activities, including testing activities that help achieve proper levels of Quality.

Testing is the essential Quality Control activity aimed at detecting issues in the software under test and evaluating the product usability, performance, security, and compatibility.

1. Purpose: Quality Assurance focuses on setting up adequate processes and Procedures rather than conducting actual testing on the system. Testing focus on detecting errors and flaws. Software Testing helps find and fix existing mistakes, and Quality Assurance helps avoid them. Quality assurance applies to each step of the development process, whereas software testing refers to activities performed on developed software or its feature.
2. Types of Activities: Quality Assurance includes process-oriented activities. Testing includes product-oriented activities. Quality Assurance incorporates preventive activities and techniques. Testing is a preventive process and corrective technique.
   
   Quality Assurance includes activities that ensure implementing processes, procedures, and standards to verify developed software and requirements. Testing includes activities that ensure the identification of bugs, errors, or defects in software.
3. Type of Measure: Quality Assurance is a Proactive measure. Testing is a Reactive measure.
4. Scope: Quality assurance's scope is to all products that the organization will create. Scope of Testing applies to a particular product being tested.
5. Aim: Quality Assurance aims to assure Quality. The testing aim is to control the Quality.
6. Responsibility: Quality Assurance is the responsibility of the team, including the stakeholders. Detecting Errors in the software is the responsibility of the Testing Team.