You know, there is quite a bit of very interesting programming that does not culminate in a web-app or even a GUI. If anything, this is where the most interesti

You know, there is quite a bit of very interesting programming that does not culminate in a web-app or even a GUI. If anything, this is where the most interesting work lies: embedded systems, AI, machine learning, compilers, static analysis, distributed systems... The problems in these spaces require a significant amount of ingenuity and creativity but no design. (I'm assuming you mean visual design rather than something more general.)