Halcolm's Inferno: A Descent into the Nine Circles of Evaluation Challenges

Whether we’re teachers trying to understand what actually worked in a lesson, parents sorting out what helps our kids grow, coaches adapting to real-time feedback, or leaders navigating unpredictable projects—we’re all evaluators. Every day we judge what we’re doing, how it’s working, and what needs to change. And more often than not, the path forward is far less straightforward than we hoped.

Halcolm’s Inferno is my creative, tongue-in-cheek reflection on that universal journey. Inspired by Michael Quinn Patton’s ideas in Developmental Evaluation, the comic imagines an underworld of nine “circles,” each representing a familiar challenge we face when trying to understand our efforts and make better decisions. It’s not a retelling of Dante, and it’s not a literal guide—it’s a playful exploration of how real life refuses to fit neatly inside our plans.

Across these circles, Halcolm encounters the traps we all fall into: craving simple answers for complicated problems, trying to control what can’t be controlled, drowning in too much information, bargaining for outcomes, chasing certainty, and trying to make tidy sense of things that simply aren’t tidy. These aren’t just professional struggles—they’re human ones. Anyone who has tried to parent wisely, teach creatively, coach effectively, or lead thoughtfully has felt these tensions.

Yet the deeper Halcolm descends, the more the story shifts. Chaos begins to reveal patterns. Disagreement becomes a source of clarity. Overload forces us to choose what really matters. Uncertainty turns into humility. And learning—real learning—emerges not from having all the answers, but from paying attention, asking honest questions, and adapting as we go.

By the final circles, Halcolm discovers what Patton emphasizes: evaluation isn’t about proving success; it’s about learning your way forward. Growth doesn’t come from clinging to certainty but from being present to what’s actually happening, even when it’s messy.

Halcolm’s Inferno is ultimately a story about transformation. It reminds us that whether we’re guiding students, raising children, running programs, or simply trying to live intentionally, we all move through these circles. And if we face them with curiosity instead of fear, we too can emerge—not with perfect answers, but with insight enough to grow.