About Craig Mercer

Craig Mercer

I’m a native of Victoria, B.C. Canada. I am blessed to have gained experience over the past 20 years in both the public and private sectors in Canada, the US and Japan.

Back in 1997 I started out in web design (thanks to Drew Westergaard and New Community) which has been a hobby over the years with websites like Dori-Kaze, WildGuns and Sasuke Central. In 2000 I expanded my horizons into information technology (thanks to Adel Braga and Microserve). Then in 2003 I found myself drawn into project management (thanks to Nick Braam and Vigil Health Solutions) and later in 2008 into strategy, portfolio management, program management and process improvement (thanks to David Mann, Jessica Arril and Island Health). In 2020 I left Island Health and joined Coast Capital Federal Credit Union (thanks to Rob Hyslop) where I hope to prototype the unified process office…where Benefits, Change, Project and Process Improvement can all work together in unison.

Over the past 20 years as a leader with a mandate to deliver projects in complex environments, I’ve been fortunate to work with diverse teams in establishing strong project management practices and methodology. It has been fascinating to witness firsthand the obvious need for complementary disciplines in addition to project management (PMBOK); namely, Benefits Realization Management (BRM), Change Management (Prosci/ADKAR), Business Analysis (BABOK) and Process improvement (Lean/Six Sigma). By incorporating aspects of these practices into our project delivery and training, we are moving closer to an integrated approach that addresses opportunities for improvement with a view of the whole eco system and those who are impacted by change.

As an avid student of the teachings of W. Edwards Deming, I have learned the importance of focusing on improvements to ‘the system’ without blaming the people who work within it. The Project Management Institute, in its annual “Pulse of the Profession” publication, has consistently reported that projects not aligned using Benefits Realization Management (BRM) are unlikely to achieve desired outcomes. Furthermore, Prosci research demonstrates that projects utilizing excellent change management practices are six times more likely to achieve those outcomes.

It is my belief that we can and must leverage complementary improvement disciplines in an integrated way to achieve the desired outcomes. To this end, over the past several years, I and local leaders in these disciplines have been pursuing a unified methodology that can be applied to any operational or project-based change. Practically, I am already leveraging the collaborative learnings from the interdisciplinary group – by applying methods into the projects and changes I lead, sharing knowledge with the departments I consult with and the staff I mentor/coach, and by incorporating best practices into the way I show up each and every day..

About Order Out of Chaos

The purpose of this site is to:

  • Allow me to speak candidly about my thoughts primarily on project/program/portfolio management, secondarily on benefits realization management, change management and process improvement.
  • Explore how the above disciplines can be layered together and their effectiveness multiplied through systems thinking.
  • Allow me to explore the nature of variation (aka waste) and what we might do about it on the macro (e.g.: project management) and micro (e.g.: process improvement) levels.
  • Allow me to share tools and templates that I have either used in real life or want too but have not had the chance yet (perhaps even becoming a resource for new and veteran project managers alike?).
  • Share my experiences with using Microsoft SharePoint for project delivery.

Key Skills and Knowledge Areas

  • Project, Program & Portfolio Management Methodology and Delivery
  • Benefits Realization Management
  • Prosci Change Management
  • Mentoring, Coaching, Training & Team Building
  • Unified Process Methodology (Strategy, Project Management, Change Management & Process Improvement)
  • Microsoft SharePoint for Project Management

Certifications/Continuous Learning

Mentoring Others
LinkedIn Learning
August 2019

Prosci Change Management
Prosci
February 2019

Facilitative Leadership
University of Victoria
November 2016

Switchback (People Can Change) – The Power of Success is in TEAM
December 2015

ITIL® Foundation Examination
PEOPLECERT Group License GR750022034CM
March 2012

VIHA Lean Practitioner
Westmark Consulting LLP
December 2011

Security Certified Network Professional
SCP License SCNP.001.1148
February 2003

Linux+ Certified Professional
CompTIA License 205679580
October 2002

Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator
MICROSOFT License A809-9462
September 2002

Microsoft Certified Professional
MICROSOFT License A809-9456
August 2002

A+ Certified Professional
CompTIA License ge6dtt0ad1/ge2dtt0842
November 2001