On Target (Eventually): What Developmental Evaluation Teaches Us About Aiming

 



In developmental evaluation, as Michael Q. Patton reminds us, you often have to fire before you fully aim. The point isn’t to get it perfect on the first shot — it’s to learn from what happens. Halcolm’s barrage of questions captures the heart of this approach: targets move, contexts shift, and what you learn from each “miss” helps you discover what the real target is becoming.

Evaluation goals evolve as the system evolves. Insight emerges not from standing still and planning endlessly, but from noticing where the arrows actually land — and adjusting your aim accordingly.

In other words: missing isn’t failure. Missing without learning is.

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