No, not everyone needs a prototype for every new concept, even if you've got a homemade 3D printer.

But sometimes, when you're bringing something out that is too new, or is a combination of services that hasn't been seen before, a prototype can move the conversation ahead much more quickly than just verbal descriptions.

Here's one such situation as described by Michael Dolenko, co-head of Phase 5's innovation group:

Our client, one of North America’s leading financial services companies, wanted
to investigate a value proposition that integrated invoicing and AR management
into online banking services for small businesses. Our objectives were to:
 Assess overall reaction to the product concept
 Identify what benefits the solution would have for small businesses
 Determine what concerns or barriers to adoption might exist
 Solicit input into potential pricing models for the solution

Read about the research difficulties and the prototyping solution in the case study that Michael has written up.

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