After spending nearly a week dashing between THE MART and Fulton Market, it is clear that transportation and logistics are a huge problem for Chicago Design Week. The officeinsight team literally spent hundreds of dollars on Uber trying to make our appointments (the shuttle bus system and pedicabs are too unreliable to keep your schedule).

That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Fulton Market this year. I loved my time in THE MART as well. With both NeoCon and Design Days going on at the same time, it was impossible to attend all the events and visit all the showrooms. Though I wore out several layers of the soles of my shoes, I missed a lot, simply because I couldn’t be in two places at one time.

So I have an idea. Since the City of Chicago has designated the week of NeoCon and Design Days Chicago Design Week, let’s truly make it a design week. Let’s split the two events up — and join them together at the same time under the Chicago Design Week banner.

Here’s what I have in mind: Keep NeoCon on its traditional schedule, beginning Monday and wrapping up mid-day Wednesday with Fulton Market Design Days opening mid-day Wednesday and running through Friday. Showrooms in both locations could be open during the entire week, but official events could only be held at each location during its scheduled days. Training at both locations could be held on Saturday and Sunday prior to Chicago Design Week as usual.

This schedule would allow both locations to shine and let show-goers attend all the events at THE MART and in Fulton Market.

Yes, it would be more expensive and time-consuming to attend, but it would allow the two events to be collaborative instead of combative. Even though the showrooms would be open for the entire week, they would only need to be fully staffed on the appointed show days.

Dealers, designers, customers and other attendees wouldn’t have to stay for the entire week if they didn’t want to. They could come in on Tuesday and leave Thursday and still get the full Chicago Design Week experience. Or they could choose to stay all week.

Everyone says the commercial interiors industry is a collegial group. At events like the BIFMA 360 Conference, executives from competing companies often sit together for dinner or a glass of wine. But an idea like this would need coordination and cooperation. Companies would have to restrain themselves on days not focused on their part of Design Week.

It’s clear that something must be done to stitch together the industry around the idea of Chicago Design Week. This might not be a practical idea, but as an industry, we need to come up with something — anything — to make Chicago Design Week easier for all attendees. They might not have complained to you, but I can tell you that I’m not alone: Attendees are growing tired of having to split time between two events. And since both NeoCon and Fulton Market Design Days are here to stay, it’s time the industry came together to figure out a better way. Otherwise we risk both events being diminished by the struggle to experience everything.

It’s time to set aside differences and truly make Chicago Design Week a week-long event.