Shifting Perspectives: An Escher-Inspired Illustration for Developmental Evaluation

Every so often, an idea arrives that refuses to sit still until it’s drawn. This latest piece—a tribute to M.C. Escher’s Relativity—came from exactly that kind of persistent nudge.

Escher’s world of impossible staircases has always fascinated me: people moving in different directions, following their own gravitational logic, completely unaware that someone else’s “up” is their “sideways.” It’s strange. It’s playful. And it’s the perfect metaphor for the messy, multi-layered work of Developmental Evaluation.

In Halcolm’s book, we’re wrestling with questions of adaptation, innovation, and learning in real time. There’s no single path forward. There’s no clean blueprint to follow. Instead, there are many people—each with their own roles, assumptions, and vantage points—trying to make sense of a dynamic landscape. Progress is rarely linear… and sometimes it feels like the staircase just flipped again.

That’s the energy I wanted to capture.

Why Halcolm Keeps Appearing

In the illustration, you’ll spot Halcolm multiple times. He’s wandering these impossible stairways, peeking around corners, stretching for new angles, and slipping into different perspectives. This wasn’t just a visual gag (though he does tend to wander into places he didn’t intend).

It’s a reminder that good evaluators—and really, good leaders, teachers, and learners—don’t cling to one viewpoint. They move. They shift. They revisit. They ask questions from fresh angles. They allow themselves to be surprised.

Halcolm shows up repeatedly because perspective-taking isn’t a one-time event. It’s a practice.

Multiple Paths, Shared Inquiry

One of the principles of Developmental Evaluation is accepting that everyone isn’t standing on the same step. People carry different histories. Different priorities. Different pressures. What looks like progress from your vantage point might look like a detour—or even a dead end—to someone else.

Escher’s architecture makes that visible.
This drawing tries to bring that idea to life again, but through the lens of Halcolm’s humor and curiosity.

A Playful Reminder

At its core, the piece is a visual invitation:

• to question the staircase you’re on

• to imagine what someone else might be seeing

• to let go of the assumption that your “up” is the only way up

• and to embrace the strange, creative movement of learning in real time

Development isn’t tidy. Evaluation isn’t linear.
But together, they can be wonderfully generative—especially when we allow ourselves to explore from more than one vantage point.

And if Halcolm can navigate these impossible stairways with a clipboard and a sense of curiosity… maybe there’s hope for the rest of us.