The design studio incorporated in 1974 was led by US-educated designer James Heng. Its office was located in High Street Centre along North Bridge Road.

One of the studio's most well-known project was its 1979 update of the corporate identity for Telecoms, the government agency overseeing telecommunications in Singapore. Besides a logo, Hengdesign also developed the branding for the organisation’s vehicles, documents and even phone booths. The opportunity likely arose after Heng designed stamps for the organisation to commemorate the October 1978 inauguration of the ASEAN Philippines-Singapore Submarine Cable.

In 1981, Heng was commissioned to design another series of stamps to mark the opening of Changi Airport. His studio subsequently designed a corporate identity for the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore when it was formed in 1985. Other significant corporate identities the developed by Hengdesign included for Tat Lee Bank, the Association of Banks of Singapore, NTUC Fairprice, Singapore Press Holdings (1987), OCBC (1989), Singapore National Eye Centre (1990) and the Ministry of Labour (1993).

In addition, the firm also designed the packaging for China-based Yang Cheng Brand's Essence of Chicken and Ginseng as well as advertisements for Nutri-Metics and Lam Soon. In the 1980s, the studio won awards for various floats it created for the National Day Parade too.

• "CAAS to have a logo". The Business Times, 12 July 1985, 2.
• "Essence of Chicken with Ginseng keeps you on the ball". The Straits Times, 23 May 1979, 1.
• "For the nation: A moving display of colourworks and handiworks". The Business Times, 7 August 1987, 10.
• Idah Latiff. "Dawn-to-dusk tale behind the designs". The Straits Times, 28 December 1981, 11.
• "James persuaded to take part". The Straits Times, 7 March 1987, 13.
• "Labour Ministry's new corporate logo". The Straits Times, 21 November 1993, 27.
• "Nutri-Metics Nutri-Metics". The Straits Times, 24 April 1978, 20.
• Quak, Hiang Whai. "A sleeker look, a snappier name". The Business Times, 9 May 1989, 1.
• Savage, Charles. "Props for a proper mood". The Business Times, 7 August 1987, 10.
• "SPH gets a new corporate logo". The Straits Times, 7 March 1987, 13.