I remember Bill’s fascination with (and incredible wisdom about) Japan. He knew so much about Asian culture in general and its influence on design. I was very fortunate to work with him on a project for a Korean furniture manufacturer just after I had started in the IDEO SF office, and learned a lot from him. The client was extremely demanding, and probably a bit misguided in their expectations, but Bill’s ability to navigate and interpret what was “right” to do for the client, for IDEO, and for the end-user at the same time was a real learning experience for me.
But the thing I’ll really remember and cherish about Bill was that you always felt he cared. After I left IDEO in late 2008 I received a very sweet, personal note from Bill thanking me and letting me know he was happy to help me with a reference or anything else I could think of. That meant a lot to me and still does. He will be greatly missed by many.