New York, NY (September 27, 2005) - Internet Design & Development #9, the ninth consecutive survey of firms that specialize in design and production for the Web, documents how the demand for Web design services is changing. In the decade or so since the Web burst onto the media landscape, we've read reports of explosive growth in Internet advertising, ever-increasing e-commerce figures, and a growing shift away from traditional media like print as publishers, advertisers, and others across nearly all industries embrace online dissemination of information. And yet, as TWGA's annual survey of Internet designers shows, those who specialize in the design and development of Web sites find themselves concerned about the current market band and challenged by planning for the future. For example: -- The TrendWatch Graphic Arts Business Conditions Index for Internet design and de-velopment firms has dropped slightly from 67.53 in Summer 2004 to 61.04 in Summer 2005; -- Only 28% of all Internet design and development firms felt that business in the next 12 months would be "excellent"-down from 39% a year earlier, and at the lowest level in the history of the Internet Design & Development survey; -- Although "economic conditions" is the perennial business challenge for Internet crea-tives, "understanding where our business should go in the future" was cited as a busi-ness challenge 55% of all Internet creative firms, up from 49% a year earlier and at the highest level it has ever tracked. TrendWatch Graphic Arts research has found that Internet creatives are being assailed by a variety of market forces and trends, not the least of which is the "demystification" of Web design and development as common, as inexpensive software makes it easy for companies and individuals to get a simple Web presence up and running; a "commodi-tization" of Web design not unlike what many print design and production firms have been challenged by for years; and rapidly changing Web applications and new media that make it difficult for firms to know where to focus their energies. The Internet Design & Development report is designed for graphic arts and new media industry suppliers, manufacturers, consultants, researchers, investors, and analysts, and allows them to get not only a quick "snapshot" of the Web design and development market as a whole, but also a highly detailed, in-depth analysis. The Internet Design & Development report is based on our yearly survey of: -- Agencies (ad, PR, and interactive); -- Web design, development, and production firms; -- Web hosting firms; -- e-commerce consultants; -- Graphic designers specializing in new media; -- Corporate Internet departments, broken out by vertical market. Each of the above markets/segments is broken down by employee size. For each of these market and size breakdowns, the Internet Design & Development report provides: -- Business conditions; -- Business challenges; -- Sales opportunities; -- Planned investments and investment projects by hundreds of software and hardware categories; -- Changing volume of design and development projects and services; -- Stock image use among Internet creative firms. Survey data is accompanied by extensive commentary and analysis that draws on TWGA's six-year historical database to put current research finding in context and track trends and changes in the industry-the hallmark of TrendWatch Graphic Arts' market research. The PDF-based report also contains interactive links to Excel spreadsheets that provide a wealth of additional data and cross-tabulations. About the Report Internet Design & Development #9, published in September 2005 by TrendWatch Graphic Arts, is 204 pages in length, and includes more than two dozen charts and tables. The cost of the report is $8,000.00 for the full report and subscription services. It is available by contacting Judy Ryer at TrendWatch Graphic Arts at (646) 746-7234, [email protected]. Detailed samples of the Internet Design & Development and other TrendWatch Graphic Arts reports can be downloaded at www.trendwatchgraphicarts.com.