John Heskett: A Testament

We are saddened by the recent passing of John Heskett (February 25, 2014). He was instrumental in the development of design history and design studies since their inceptions in the late 1970s. John's degree in economics, at the London School of Economics, shaped his thinking about design whether as an historian, a consultant, or a policy maker. He taught at institutions in Europe, the United States, and Asia throughout his career, but he was also influential in worlds of business and government where he often addressed business leaders and high-ranking government officials. John believed strongly that design could make a major difference to the advancement of national economies; and, he helped many people Ȅ in positions of influence Ȅ to understand that concept and to develop policies and plans in which they could make design central to their own activities. He understood design's relation to economics and was able to speak persuasively on that issue.