Last week, we talked a bit about scheduling dos and don’ts during NeoCon. This week, I’m going to try to help with what to look for while you are attending NeoCon and Design Days. Since your time will likely be split between the two Chicago locations, it is important to make the most out of your time. If you are a designer, you are probably on the lookout for specific products for specific projects, but if you have some discovery time built into your schedule (as I suggested last week), here’s a few suggestions to be as efficient as possible.

Seek out new products: New products are what NeoCon and Design Days are all about. Though the product release schedule has changed a bit recently to where companies are launching products when they come out and not just in Chicago, NeoCon and Design Days are excellent spots to seek out new products. We created an officeinsight map of new products that will help. Look for the maps at participating manufacturers and in the bins in the lobby of the show. Some companies pass off line extensions and enhancements as new products. We’ll leave that up to you to decide if you think those are worthy of you time.

Seek out products that you can order now: Some new products are so new that you can’t actually order them yet. Make sure you understand that distinction. Some companies will show off products that are not yet in production and ready to ship. If you fall in love with that “new” task chair, make sure it is actually available to ship for your project prior to specifying it. I’ve seen a few companies launch new products that won’t be ready to ship for six months or even more than a year.

Seek out new categories: Every year, there are a few new products that don’t fit into traditional categories. Remember when phone booths were new? These are the cutting edge products to keep an eye out for. You might not even know you need it in your project because it doesn’t fit into common design, but those products are always out there. Some are excellent and deserve your attention. Others are just hype.

Seek out true innovation: A lot of companies will tell you their products are innovative and sometimes that’s true. But after attending a lot of NeoCons, you develop a B.S. sensor when it comes to innovation. I can count on one (maybe one and a half) hand truly innovative products that I’ve discovered at NeoCon over the course of 25+ years. Products that really move the needle are few and far between, but I would argue that there are levels of innovation. Truly innovative products (think Aeron when it was launched) come once every blue moon. Innovative features can be found in Chicago every year.

Don’t get sucked into the contest buzz: Running a design contest has to be thankless work and I’m glad I don’t have to worry about it. I don’t usually argue too much about Best of NeoCon (other than the Best in Show, which rarely is). There is a reason those products rise to the top. And I appreciate the transparency surrounding the judges in the Best of NeoCon contest in recent years. It is worth noting that Best of NeoCon is limited to NeoCon. So products from some of the largest companies in the industry that happen to be in Fulton Market are not eligible to compete. Any Best of NeoCon victory probably should come with an asterisk at this point. Other contests at NeoCon are simply a money grab by the companies that run them, with the criteria for winning one of these awards seemingly limited to the amount of money you pay to participate. Check out the products that win the top Best of NeoCon awards. No need to chase down the rest.

Don’t forget the 7th floor: I’m surprised by the number of NeoCon attendees that don’t visit the temporary exhibits on the 7th floor. Yes, there are some duds and some companies on seven don’t seem to understand how to market to connect with the industry (seriously, you’re going to take a nap on your stand or eat take out while sitting in the space?). There are some real hidden gems on seven as well. I’ve discovered many cool, up-and-coming companies there over the years (and many of them have gone on to become significant companies that move to permanent spaces). Make sure to carve out some time to explore the 7th floor.

Safe travels and we will see you in Chicago in a few short weeks!