Six Sigma Global Institute

Six Sigma Global Institute (SSGI) is an online training and certification provider for Lean Six Sigma and related business skills. Its homepage calls it "A Trusted Leader in Process Improvement Training & Certification," and the site says the programs were developed by Dr. Barry Shore, a McGraw-Hill award-winning professor with "40+ years of experience in operations and process improvement." The footer gives an address at 265 Franklin Street in Boston. SSGI sells to two readers: an individual who wants a belt or a professional certificate for a résumé, and an employer that wants to train and certify a team.

The belt programs

Lean Six Sigma is sold as four belts, each pitched at a career stage:

• Yellow Belt, "Beginner: For those new to Lean Six Sigma seeking an introduction to process improvement."
• Green Belt, "Intermediate: For team members looking to implement Lean Six Sigma concepts & tools."
• Black Belt, "Advanced: For leaders who are initiating continuous improvement projects."
• Master Black Belt, "Expert: For subject matter experts looking to master the domain of Lean Six Sigma."

No experience is needed to start. The FAQ says "Entry-level certifications like Yellow Belt are designed for beginners, while Green and Black Belt programs build progressively on experience and responsibility," and that "Many professionals go directly to Green Belt certification without completing Yellow Belt first." It explains the difference between the two middle belts as one of scope: Green Belts "typically lead smaller, departmental improvement projects," while Black Belts "lead complex, cross-functional projects, use more advanced analytical methods."

The programs teach DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control), which the site calls "the core problem-solving framework used in Lean Six Sigma to improve existing processes." On timing, it says "As a general standard, you can expect to spend 2 weeks to complete Yellow Belt and 4 weeks for Green Belt certification," depending on learning style, availability and prior knowledge. Training is "Fully online, self-paced" and includes the exam, and the FAQ notes there is "no industry standard that requires you to go in-person or be sponsored by an organization" to become certified.

SSGI also runs industry versions: Healthcare Yellow and Green Belts, a Lean Healthcare Professional certificate, a Government Yellow Belt and a Diversity & Inclusion Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt.

AI-enhanced programs and the wider catalog

A newer line pairs Lean Six Sigma with AI. The homepage says "AI-Enhanced Green and Black Belt programs deliver faster, more impactful results," and that the AI-OPEX certification "is designed to integrate directly into Green Belt and Black Belt training, giving professionals a practical way to apply AI in operational environments." There is also an AI Workflow & Prompt Engineering certification.

Beyond Six Sigma the catalog covers Agile Professional, Agile Leader, Scrum Master, Product Owner and Project Management certifications, plus DevOps, supply chain management, Lean Practitioner, change management, product management, data analytics, process improvement specialist, continuous improvement manager, corporate trainer and business consultant certifications. A Remote Leadership Series covers leading remote and hybrid workforces and customer service centers.

Career track bundles

Several certifications can be bought together as a career track that adds a professional designation "that you can add to your resume and attach to LinkedIn." Examples: Operational Excellence Leader (OPEX-L) combines Lean Practitioner, Green Belt and Change Management; Lean Six Sigma Professional (LSSP-I) combines Yellow Belt, Green Belt and Process Improvement Specialist; Lean Six Sigma Expert (LSSP-II) combines Black Belt, Master Black Belt and Agile Leader; and Lean Six Sigma Corporate Trainer combines Corporate Trainer, Black Belt and Lean Practitioner. Learners can also "Create a Custom Bundle" at a discount rate for 3+ courses.

The Leadership certification in detail

The Leadership certification page shows how an SSGI program is packaged. The course is "intended for new managers and professionals seeking to move into a management level role," and also as "a great refresher for seasoned leaders." It is "100% online, self-paced, mobile friendly and hosted on a learning management platform," with no extra software or materials needed. Topics include fundamentals of management, corporate social responsibility, strategic leadership, Agile management, emotional intelligence, transformational leadership, change management, teams, working with difficult people, negotiating, ethics, and diversity and inclusion. The course introduces several leadership styles (Democratic, Strategic, Agile, Transformational, Laissez Faire and Authentic) rather than one "best" style, and its last chapter walks the learner through a plan to practice the skills.

Program specs: an average completion time of 1-2 weeks (15 hours), lifetime access with no expiration, and it "Qualifies for 15 pre-approved PMI PDUs." The fee is $199, listed as a limited time offer, and "Enrollment includes training and certification/exam."

The exam has 100 multiple choice and true/false questions, a passing score of 80% and a 2-hour time limit, and is taken "Online, at your own convenience." Retakes are unlimited at no extra fee, and renewal is "Not needed, certification has lifetime value." Passing earns "an official Leadership Certification and ID license number," with a verifiable ID and digitally hosted credentials to attach to LinkedIn.

The refund window is short. SSGI "allows for full refunds within 24 hours of your purchase, if you are not satisfied," provided the course is not completed and the exam has not been attempted. The footer says "Buy Now, Pay Later payment plans are subject to eligibility, location, and additional terms."

Instructor and recognition

Barry Shore is listed as the course developer and instructor, at the Peter T. Paul School of Business, University of New Hampshire. The page credits him with "over 40 years' experience in industry and teaching," "over 100 peer reviewed papers," and four books with McGraw Hill and Holt, Rinehart and Winston, and says McGraw Hill "honored him as a prize winning author for his book on operations management."

On credentials, the site says "SSGI has been reviewed and approved as a Project Management Institute (PMI®) ATP, Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM®) Recertification Provider, and Continuing Professional Development (CPD®) accredited member," so certificate holders can claim PMI PDUs and SHRM PDCs "where applicable." It also names a partnership with the Baldrige Foundation and calls itself "an Inc. 5000 Company." SSGI's belts are its own certifications; the site does not describe them as university credit.

Scale and teams

The homepage says SSGI is "TRUSTED BY OVER 100,000 PROFESSIONALS AND LEADING ORGANIZATIONS," and the Leadership page says it has customers "in Over 90 Countries" and has trained employees of companies such as Amazon, Deloitte, Nintendo, Fedex and Tesla. It points to "300+ Reviews" on TrustSpot. A team training section offers standardized online programs "designed for busy professionals and distributed teams," with a "Train & Certify Your Team" inquiry.

Who it suits and who it does not

SSGI suits working professionals in operations, quality, healthcare, project management or HR who want a Lean Six Sigma or leadership credential on their own schedule, with the exam included and no renewal fee. PMI and SHRM members who need recertification credit get pre-approved PDUs and PDCs. Employers who want one provider for belts, Agile and leadership training can use the bundles and team programs.

It suits less well a learner who wants live teaching or a hands-on project reviewed by a coach, since the pages describe self-paced online training and an online multiple choice exam. Buyers should also note the 24-hour refund limit before starting.