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Control Quality, Validate Scope and Quality Assurance often confuse many new PMP aspirants. These terms look similar, but each one has a different role in project success. In this guide, I explain the two main terms in a simple way so you understand them fast, and you can explore the next section to get full clarity on all three.

Control Quality

Control Quality is the process of supervising and recording outcomes of executing the quality management practices to evaluate the overall performance and make sure the project outputs are complete and meet the client expectations.

Control Quality is the process of checking, measuring, and recording the results of your work. The goal is to make sure every deliverable meets the quality requirements and follows the agreed standards.

This process happens inside the project team.
You compare the actual deliverable with the approved specifications.
If something is not correct, you take corrective action.

Control Quality helps you:

• Confirm that the output is complete
• Detect poor quality early
• Meet customer requirements
• Recommend corrections and improvements

To perform Control Quality, you use inputs like:

• Project Management Plan
• Quality checklists
• Quality metrics
• Accepted change requests
• Deliverables

Example

You get a project to build a 100 km road.
You appoint a Quality Control Engineer.
He checks the road width, footpath alignment, material quality, and every technical detail during each stage.
His job is simple: make sure the work meets the defined standards.

Control Quality vs Validate Scope

These two processes often confuse PMP aspirants. Here is the simple difference:

Control Quality	Validate Scope
Focus on accuracy of deliverables	Focus on acceptance of deliverables
Done inside the project team	Done by client or sponsor
Checks conformance to requirements	Confirms formal acceptance
Belongs to Quality Management	Belongs to Scope Management

Both happen in the Monitoring and Controlling process group, and both may lead to change requests.
But the purpose is different:

• Validate Scope gets approval that the deliverable is right
• Control Quality makes the deliverable right

Validate Scope

Validate Scope is the process where the client reviews and accepts the completed deliverables.
The project team finishes the work, and the client checks if it meets the agreed requirements.

A deliverable is considered “accepted” only when the client signs off.
This increases clarity, trust, and the success rate of the final product.

During planning, stakeholders define what they will approve or reject.
Later, the project manager reviews all results to make sure they meet the criteria before sharing them with the client.

Example

You complete 40 km out of a 150 km road project.
You invite the client to inspect it.
If the client is satisfied, you get official approval and payment.
If not, the client will ask for changes.
After corrections, the client issues an acceptance letter.
This is Validate Scope.

The differences between the Control Quality and Validate Scope

1. Control Quality is inward-looking;
   Validate Scope is outward-looking.
2. Control Quality ensures the product is built right;
   Validate Scope ensures the right product is accepted.
3. Control Quality = Quality Management;
   Validate Scope = Scope Management.
4. QC team performs Control Quality.
   Project manager or sponsor performs Validate Scope after QC approval.

Further Readings

1. Project Quality Management
2. Monitoring and Controlling Process group
3. Project Scope Management

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