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Every year, Apple-focused magazine MacWorld names an App of the Year at its awards gala. This year, the winner was Quark Software’s DesignPad. The app gives anyone the ability to try grid-based design on their iPad.

Within the app, users can design anything from postcards and posters to newsletters and advertisements. When complete, these mockups can be shared via email or Twitter, printed out, or opened in QuarkXPress for further development. Upgrading to the Pro Feature Pack opens the door to greater capabilities, such as print-quality PDFs and Dropbox sharing.

“Being acknowledged by Macworld – which is one of the definitive news sources for Apple fans – signifies how unique DesignPad is,” said Gavin Drake, vice president of marketing for Quark. “With our history in graphic design software we knew what would make a high-functioning design app. But our understanding of the mobile apps market probably helped us even more to develop a user experience that beginners through to seasoned designers can use.”

Today, design is a priority for many businesses, making designers a hot commodity. With the explosion of demand for great designers, however, has come a change in the way the design process gets done. That’s why, Drake says, Quark is helping customers tackle the design workflow by giving them a way to create content for web, print and digital devices. With products like DesignPad and QuarkXPress, doing so becomes a bit easier.