As projects grow in complexity and risk, this civil engineering design specialist and partner leveraged digital tools to boost organisational efficiencies, enhance communication with stakeholders and prevent cost blowouts.
As Australian company D-TAL grew exponentially since it was founded four years ago, communication became critical to project success and organisational efficiency.
The firm specialises in civil and road design, and since its founding in 2020 has doubled in size every year, working on major projects such as the M7-M12 Integration project, the Sydney Fish Market and Brisbane’s Cross River Rail.
“Communication is vital in every industry,” D-TAL director Daniel Talevski told create. “Being able to convey messages clearly and concisely improves efficiency, especially in engineering design processes.”
Layers of bureaucracy stifle communication in traditional project models stifled communications and created significant productivity blockages. Key project insights would trickle down many management levels, distorting the information by the time it reached design engineers.
This meant critical project details would be either lost or misinterpreted, potentially leading to designs that fell short of client expectations or project requirements.
Real-time feedback reduces time spent on design updates
Digital tools such as Bluebeam Revu create a single source of truth for project teams and partners working in different locations. The ability to provide and receive real-time feedback on design cuts the review and approval period. Design updates that normally took six weeks could be achieved in a fraction of that time.
“We can now relay information instantly,” Talevski said. “What used to take weeks now happens within hours. If someone identifies a risk or has a breakthrough idea, the entire team can be notified and start actioning it immediately.”
D-TAL is one of many companies to leverage technology and improve project coordination when everyone is working remotely. This widened the pool of possible collaborators to refine and achieve stronger design outcomes. Contractors, clients, and engineers can now collaborate effectively without being in the same office.
One way D-TAL makes this work is by inducting their clients into Bluebeam.
“What we try to do during the tender process, when we’re coming up with designs and options, is constantly relay those solutions back to the client,” Talevski said.
“In the past, what that meant is sending messages or updates through a bundle of different apps or documents that get filtered down to the client team and project stakeholders. If someone misses an email or it slips off their radar, you might have to wait a week or two to receive comments.
“Now we can share information instantaneously, and we’re getting clients reviewing and providing comments within 30 minutes. We can action those comments and close them out with clients so quickly. What used to sometimes take two, three, four weeks now comes down to a day or two.”
Delivering time savings
Talevski cited a recent tender project that took two weeks instead of six thanks to Bluebeam’s digital communications capability, and the ability to get real-time feedback from the client. Other benefits included better risk identification and flexibility. 
“We’re not just saving time,” Talevski said. “We’re reducing communication errors, improving risk management, and increasing overall project flexibility.”
Identifying risks early allows the team to modify or mitigate it through design refinements. A team member that highlights a facility risk or design clash can instantaneously document and relay it to colleagues.
“What it does is allow us to work remotely, not just with our clients, but all project stakeholders.
“It gives us an instantaneous communication loop where if someone identifies a risk in our designs, like a clash, we can very quickly assign tasks to our engineering team to rectify it.”
Bird’s eye view pinpoints project risks
The tool gives contractors visibility across the project. Field teams can communicate weather delays, unexpected terrain or logistical constraints so design engineers can amend construction strategies. He pointed to the financial benefits of shorter timelines and faster problem-solving, equating to project cost savings.
While Bluebeam has provided D-TAL with seamless project coordination, Talevski acknowledges that the team have yet to take advantage of the platform’s full capability.
He encourages other engineers to embrace digital transformation. “The industry is moving this way. Companies must adapt to improve efficiencies, workflows and workplace flexibility.”
The software enables remote working across different states and even internationally. Project stakeholders can engage meaningfully without physical meetings, a critical capability in a workplace increasingly demanding flexibility.
D-TAL’s approach demonstrates how digital platforms can fundamentally reshape project delivery. Communication barriers dissolve, replaced by tools that prioritise clarity, speed, and collective problem-solving.
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