Adobe Acrobat helps Curio Projects collaborate and connect the dots

Natalie Vinton had reached a point in her career in heritage management where she wanted to work exclusively with people who shared her same vision, passion, and ethics.

One important connection made it happen. After a long period of recovering from an accident and resigning from her job at the time, Vinton was approached by a potential client about the possibility of a new project. They said that if she formed her own company the project would be hers.

That’s how Sydney-based Curio Projects got its start, and as word-of-mouth quickly grew, so did business. Vinton and her company work with sites of historical importance and Aboriginal history, providing heritage advisory, archaeological excavations, community consultations, and practical heritage asset management programs. Since 2015, Curio Projects has worked with a variety of clients, including the Australian Technology Park, Louis Vuitton Maison, and Sydney’s Sandstone Precinct.

Fostering strong connections

Vinton works alongside a growing team of archeologists, architects, landscape and urban design specialists, graphic designers, and heritage specialists. Clients come from the private sector, the construction and development industries, and government.

The goal for these projects is to unearth rich stories about the history and significance of specific urban development sites. This requires a great deal of collaboration through every step of a project, for which Curio turned to technology for assistance.

“Technology has allowed me to help people who might not be naturally creative or visual,” Vinton explains. “If you put beautiful images in front of clients and back it up with research and findings, it’s far more compelling.”

With so many people needing to access a project’s documents, Curio relies on Adobe Acrobat to turn documents into PDFs for all the stages of collaboration. Every staff member uses the tool, no matter where they are located.

“We can edit and comment, we can lock it for sending secure copies out, and most of all, we can do this when we’re anywhere in the world,” Vinton says.

It’s also a time-saver. “If someone is out on site, someone else can still send through plans or a document they want checked,” Vinton says. “That can be done quickly, and comments can be added to the PDF on the go.”

Security also is paramount: One document can potentially go through hundreds of feedback rounds from developers, clients, construction teams, shareholders, government agencies, and community groups. Adobe Acrobat helps to keep original documents safe and ensures consistency when it comes to document control, Vinton says. With multiple rounds of communication and feedback, access to all previous comments is essential to ensure everyone is on the same page.

For Vinton, great communication and collaboration with her employees and clients comes down to clarity and shared passion, which is all supported through the technology.

“Adobe Acrobat is the tool that allows us to collaborate efficiently, and while our projects might be years in the making, it is the difference of whether we meet or exceed expectations,” she says.

Want to try for yourself? Start your free trial with Adobe Acrobat and then follow these simple steps.

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