When you work with web design companies in San Francisco, you end up with a bunch of twenty-somethings who have their own cultural peculiarities, including obscurity for its own sake. You give those guys a website for a banking institution and they screw it up, because they are designing for themselves.

In this quote, Brenda Laurel, a prominent figure in the field of human-computer interaction, critiques the approach of certain web design companies in San Francisco. She highlights the tendency for young designers, particularly those in their twenty-somethings, to prioritize their own personal tastes and cultural peculiarities over the practical needs of the client. Laurel suggests that these designers, influenced by their own experiences and values, often create websites that reflect their own style and interests, rather than considering the intended audience and purpose of the website.

Laurel’s mention of obscurity for its own sake suggests that some designers may favor complex or abstract designs that appear stylish but fail to communicate clearly or serve the functional purpose of the site. This approach can be problematic, especially when designing for institutions like banks, where clarity, trustworthiness, and usability are paramount. Laurel argues that these designers often fail to understand that web design for corporate or professional clients requires a different mindset—one that balances aesthetics with functionality and aligns with the needs of the user.

The quote also reflects Laurel’s broader critique of the disconnect between designers and users. She suggests that many designers, especially those influenced by a youthful or avant-garde culture, can become so absorbed in their own design sensibilities that they lose sight of the end user’s needs. This lack of consideration can lead to a disastrous result, where the website ends up being more of an expression of the designer’s personal style than a functional tool for the client.

Ultimately, Laurel’s statement is a call for designers to be more user-centric and mindful of the specific context and requirements of their clients. It serves as a reminder that while creative freedom is important, the true success of web design lies in creating experiences that are intuitive, functional, and appropriate for the target audience, rather than simply catering to the designer’s personal aesthetic preferences.