What Is The Difference Between Tools;product Or Process-?

To explain the differences between tools, processes and products, it is perhaps best to start by looking at the definition of each individual term on its own. The comparison of these definitions will no doubt make the differences very clear.

• What is a tool?

A tool is an instrument used to perform an action or operation. This can be any hand held implement, such as a paint brush, a screw driver or a hammer, etc. In addition, a power driven instrument or piece of machinery used within a manufacturing setting can be regarded as a tool. Within computer technology, a tool can be a particular software program or a part thereof. The spellchecker in Microsoft Word, for instance, can be viewed as a tool.

• What is a process?

A process is a series of actions or functions performed in order to achieve a result. In manufacture, a process involves all the steps required to turn raw materials into the finished product. A business or administration process refers to the way in which a business or administration is run, again following a set of certain steps. In computer science, a running software program or part of it, in fact any computing operation is known as a process.

• What is a product?

A product is an article or substance which has been created or perfected for sale through the use of tools and the application of a process. The creation of a product may also be the result of a natural process.

The differences between these three terms are obvious: Tools are tangible objects used to perform actions; processes are sets of pre-determined actions put in the required order to achieve an end result, and products are the tangible results of the use of tools and the application of specific processes.