SQA, SQC and CMMI Definitions

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.

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.

CMMI
A process improvement approach to software development. CMMi identifies a core set of Software Engineering process areas as:-

- Requirements Development
- Requirements Management
- Technical Solution
- Product Integration
- Verification
- Validation

CMMI also covers other process areas, such as Process Management, Project Management and Support but only the core Software Engineering development processes are used here by way of example.
It is also interesting to note that SQA and SQC are processes defined within CMMI, they are under the Support process area. In CMMI SQA\SQC is defined as Process and Product Quality Assurance.
CMMI is an approach to process improvement, in which SQA\SQC play a major but not exclusive role.Everyone in a software development organization takes part in both the CMMI processes and any improvement initiatives for those processes. Each of the main Engineering process areas is now described together with the role that SQA\SQC plays within those areas.