Green Belt Syllabus: Every Topic in SSDSI’s Online Course

SSDSI’s online Green Belt syllabus has 15 numbered modules, a welcome module, an introduction, and a final examination. The first eight modules cover Lean Six Sigma basics, project selection, the project charter, SIPOC, Lean and value stream mapping, process mapping, the cause and effect matrix, and FMEA. Six statistics modules follow: basic statistics, basic quality tools, measurement system analysis, capability analysis, t-tests with ANOVA and chi-square, and correlation with regression.

The last module covers controlling the process. Read in order, the modules follow the DMAIC path from defining a project to holding the gain. IASSC says its Green Belt exam draws about 20 questions from each of five major Body of Knowledge sections, so every phase matters.

Quick-Reference Table: The 15 Modules at a Glance

Module	Topic	Likely DMAIC Phase (my mapping)
1	Lean Six Sigma Overview	Define
2	Project Selection	Define
3	Project Charter	Define
4	SIPOC	Define or Measure
5	Lean and Value Stream	Define and Measure
6	Process Mapping	Measure
7	Cause and Effect Matrix	Measure
8	Failure Mode and Effects Analysis	Measure to Analyze
9	Basic Statistics	Measure
10	Basic Quality Tools	Define to Analyze
11	Measurement System Analysis	Measure
12	Capability Analysis	Measure
13	t-Test, ANOVA, and Chi-Squared	Analyze
14	Correlation and Regression Analysis	Analyze or Improve
15	Controlling the Process	Control
Unit 18	Examination	Course close

The module titles do not name DMAIC phases. The phase column is my reading, guided by IASSC’s outline.

Key Takeaways

• The syllabus has three parts. Eight modules cover project setup and process tools, six cover statistics, and one covers control.
• The order follows a real project. You choose a project, define it, map the process, measure it, test causes, and then lock in the gain.
• Statistics make up the middle. Modules 9 to 14 carry the math, from averages to regression.
• The exam weights each phase evenly. About 20 of 100 questions come from each of five sections, so study every phase.
• Each module can produce a project deliverable. A charter, a SIPOC, a baseline, and a control plan all come from the syllabus.
• Titles show topics, not depth. Ask for the full lesson list before you compare courses.

How the Syllabus Is Organized

The syllabus runs in a logical order. Early modules set up the project. The middle modules teach you to measure and test. The last module teaches you to keep the result.

Here is the shape:

1. Project setup and process tools (Modules 0 to 8). You pick a problem, write the charter, map the process, and rank risks.
2. Statistics (Modules 9 to 14). You describe data, check your measurement system, and test causes.
3. Control (Module 15). You build the plan that holds the gain.

A note on phases. The titles do not say Define, Measure, or Analyze. I mapped them using IASSC’s outline. Courses place a few tools in different phases, so treat my mapping as a guide.

Part One: Project Setup and Process Tools

Module 0: Welcome. This module orients you to the course. It sets expectations and shows how to move through the material.

Module 1: Lean Six Sigma Overview. You learn what Lean and Six Sigma each do. Lean removes waste and delay. Six Sigma reduces defects and variation. IASSC’s outline also lists the problem-solving idea Y = f(x), voice of the customer, and the roles in a project. Y is the result you want. The x factors are the inputs that drive it.

Module 2: Project Selection. You learn to choose a problem worth solving. A good project has a clear measure, real business impact, and a scope you can finish. This module matters because a poor pick sinks the whole effort.

Module 3: Project Charter. The charter is the one-page contract for your project. It holds the problem statement, goal, scope, team, timeline, and primary metric. See our glossary entries on the problem statement and the primary metric for the exact rules.

Module 4: SIPOC. SIPOC stands for Suppliers, Inputs, Process, Outputs, and Customers. It gives a high-level view of a process on one page, usually in four to seven steps. It also shows what sits upstream and downstream of your process.

Module 5: Lean and Value Stream. You learn to see waste. IASSC’s outline names seven wastes: overproduction, correction, inventory, motion, overprocessing, conveyance, and waiting. It also lists 5S. A value stream map shows each step and how much time adds value. Many steps add none.

Module 6: Process Mapping. You draw the real process, not the one on paper. A detailed map shows handoffs, delays, and rework loops. Walk the process with the people who do it.

Module 7: Cause and Effect Matrix. This tool ranks process inputs against what customers care about. You score each input against each requirement, multiply by the requirement’s importance, and add up the results. Here is an illustrative example.

Input	Speed (importance 10)	Accuracy (importance 8)	Score
Data entry form	9	3	114
Staff training	3	9	102
System lag	9	1	98

The data entry form ranks first with 114 points, because 10 times 9 plus 8 times 3 equals 114. The team studies it first.

Module 8: Failure Mode and Effects Analysis. FMEA finds ways a process can fail before it does. You score severity, occurrence, and detection, then multiply them into a Risk Priority Number. High scores get action first. This tool also connects to risk work, as our guide on operational risk management shows.

Also Read: Online Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certification

Part Two: Statistics

Module 9: Basic Statistics. You learn to describe data with averages and spread, and you learn how the normal distribution behaves. You also need data types. See our glossary entries on quantitative, qualitative, and nominal data.

Module 10: Basic Quality Tools. The title points to the classic quality tools. Common examples include Pareto charts, histograms, run charts, scatter plots, and fishbone diagrams. The syllabus does not list the exact tools, so confirm the list in the course.

Module 11: Measurement System Analysis. You test whether your measuring method can be trusted. A Gage R&R study checks repeatability and reproducibility. As a common guide, a %R&R under 10% is generally good, and above 30% usually needs repair. Our glossary entry on precision explains it in detail.

Module 12: Capability Analysis. You learn whether a process can meet its limits. Cp and Cpk summarize spread and centering. A Cpk of 1.33 or higher is a common benchmark for a capable process. This module gives you the baseline you will compare against later.

Module 13: t-Test, ANOVA, and Chi-Squared. These tests tell you whether a difference is real or just noise. The right test depends on your data and the number of groups.

Question	Data Type	Test
Do two shifts differ in average cycle time?	Continuous, two groups	Two-sample t-test
Do three machines differ in average output?	Continuous, three or more groups	ANOVA
Does defect type depend on supplier?	Counts in categories	Chi-square test

These tests have assumptions. Our glossary entries on homogeneity of variance and the Wilcoxon rank-sum test cover what to do when data breaks them.

Module 14: Correlation and Regression Analysis. Correlation measures how strongly two variables move together. Regression builds an equation that predicts an output from inputs. Remember that correlation does not prove cause. IASSC’s outline, as reproduced in one study guide, lists simple and multiple regression under the Improve phase. That placement makes sense. A fitted model shows how changing an input shifts the output.

Part Three: Control and the Final Exam

Module 15: Controlling the Process. This module teaches you to hold the gain. IASSC’s Control section covers lean controls, statistical process control, and control plans. You learn which control chart fits your data, who owns the process, and what to do when a signal appears. See our glossary entry on the x-bar chart for a worked chart.

Data You Have	Common Chart Family
Continuous, in subgroups	X-bar and R or S chart
Continuous, single values	Individual and moving range chart
Counts or proportions	Attribute charts such as p and c charts

Unit 18: Examination. An examination closes the course. The syllabus lists it as a course unit. Confirm on the course page how it relates to the IASSC exam, which is a separate credential.

Also Read: Online Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certification

How the Modules Line Up With the IASSC Exam

The exam checks five sections evenly. IASSC’s Green Belt exam has 100 questions, takes 3 hours, and needs a 70% score. Use this table to see where each module fits. The topic column comes from public copies of the IASSC outline, and the module column is my mapping.

IASSC Section	Topics in the Outline (summary)	Matching Modules
Define	Y = f(x), voice of the customer, CTQs, COPQ, Pareto, project selection, Lean wastes, 5S	1, 2, 3, 5, 10
Measure	Fishbone, process mapping, SIPOC, value stream map, statistics, measurement system analysis, capability	4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12
Analyze	Patterns of variation and hypothesis testing	13
Improve	Simple and multiple regression	14
Control	Lean controls, statistical process control, control plans	15

Sources: IASSC outline copies and Invensis summary. Confirm against the current IASSC Body of Knowledge.

Module count is not module length. Improve and Control each map to one module here, but the exam gives them the same weight as the others. This is my study advice. Review each section equally and take practice questions for all five.

What You Can Produce From Each Module

A syllabus matters more when each module makes something. Use this list to build your project as you learn. This is a suggested workflow, not a course requirement.

Module	Deliverable You Can Create
2	A ranked list of project ideas
3	A signed project charter
4	A one-page SIPOC
5	A value stream map with wastes marked
6	A detailed current-state process map
7	A ranked list of inputs
8	An FMEA with Risk Priority Numbers
9 and 10	A data summary and a Pareto chart
11	A measurement system result
12	A baseline capability number
13	A hypothesis test result
14	A regression model or relationship plot
15	A control plan and control chart

Pair each module with its deliverable the same week. This habit keeps your project moving. Our guide on whether online courses help you finish a real project explains the pacing in detail.

Which Modules Feel Hardest

This is my view, not a rule. Most learners find the project and mapping modules easy to follow. The statistics modules take more effort.

Difficulty	Modules
Easier	1, 2, 3, 4, 6
Medium	5, 7, 8, 10
Harder	9, 11, 12, 13, 14

Give extra time to hypothesis testing and regression. Both ask you to choose the right method, and both appear on the exam.

What the Module Titles Do Not Tell You

A title list leaves out important details. Ask any provider, including us, about these items.

• Lesson length and depth. Two courses can share a title and teach it differently.
• Software. The syllabus lists statistics topics, not a software package.
• Project rules. The list shows learning content only. Check the course page for project and mentoring terms.
• Exam access. Ask whether the IASSC exam is included or sold separately.
• Version. Bodies of knowledge change, so ask which version the course follows.

Common Mistakes When Reading a Syllabus

Counting modules instead of checking coverage. Fifteen titles can hide thin sections.

Skipping the phase map. Without it, you cannot see whether Improve and Control get enough time.

Studying only the easy modules. The exam weighs every section.

Treating the syllabus as a project plan. Use it as a guide, then build your own timeline.

Frequently Asked Questions

What topics are covered in the Green Belt syllabus?
The syllabus covers Lean Six Sigma basics, project selection, the project charter, SIPOC, Lean and value stream mapping, process mapping, the cause and effect matrix, FMEA, basic statistics, basic quality tools, measurement system analysis, capability analysis, t-tests, ANOVA, chi-square, correlation, regression, and controlling the process.

How many modules are in the Green Belt course?
The syllabus lists 15 numbered modules, plus a welcome module, an introduction, and a final examination unit.

Does the syllabus cover all five DMAIC phases?
The module titles do not label phases, but the topics span all five. Project selection and the charter support Define. Mapping, statistics, and capability support Measure. The tests support Analyze, regression supports Improve or Analyze, and control supports Control.

Is statistics part of the Green Belt syllabus?
Yes. Six modules cover statistics: basic statistics, basic quality tools, measurement system analysis, capability analysis, hypothesis tests, and regression.

Does the course teach Lean tools?
Yes. Module 5 covers Lean and the value stream, and the overview module introduces Lean and Six Sigma together. IASSC’s outline lists the seven wastes and 5S under Lean topics.

Does the syllabus cover design of experiments?
The module titles do not list it. The IASSC Green Belt outline I reviewed places regression, not experiments, in the Improve section. Confirm details in the full course outline.

Which software does the course use?
The syllabus lists statistics topics but names no software package. Check the course page for tool details.

Does the syllabus prepare me for the IASSC exam?
IASSC says the exam draws about 20 questions from each of five sections. Compare the module list with the current Body of Knowledge and take timed practice questions for every section. See our guides on IASSC accreditation and exam format.

Is there a project in the course?
The module list covers learning content only. Check the course page for project requirements and mentoring, and read our guide on finishing a real project.

Which modules are hardest?
Many learners find hypothesis testing, measurement system analysis, and regression the hardest. Plan extra study time for modules 11, 13, and 14.

Final Words

SSDSI’s online Green Belt syllabus follows the path of a real project. Eight modules set up the project and the process, six teach the statistics that test your ideas, and one teaches you to hold the gain. Each module can produce a deliverable, such as a charter, an FMEA, a baseline, or a control plan.

The IASSC exam weighs every phase evenly, so study every section and watch the harder statistics modules. Use the syllabus as a map, then ask for the full lesson list before you decide.

Learn Every Tool in the Syllabus With SSDSI

A syllabus helps most when a coach helps you apply it. SSDSI is IASSC accredited and delivers Green Belt and Black Belt training through onsite, live virtual, public, and self-paced online formats, with Master Black Belt mentorship until your certification project is complete.

SSDSI has certified 5,322+ professionals across 600+ organizations in 52 cities, backed by a 5-star Google review rating. If you want to see the full lesson list and talk through the right format, a conversation about your goals is a solid next step.

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