What Exactly is a "Grip"?

Foreword

We often hear the term "Grip" (Zhuashou). It carries many layers of meaning, and while we might grasp the gist, it can remain elusive—until I heard a very vivid metaphor.

I. Is a "Grip" the Intersection of Technology and Business?

Major business transformations are mostly related to the underlying technological evolution, and the popularity of innovative technologies is almost always because they solve certain business problems. The two complement each other:

Business drives technology; technology empowers business.

In this context, a Grip can be understood as the intersection of technology and business. Whether pushing or pulling, a connection must first be established: choosing the right technology based on business characteristics and finding the right business scenarios for that technology. Without an intersection, technology alone cannot create value; conversely, a business scenario without technological support cannot fully unlock its potential.

This intersection could be a broad business model, a development strategy, or a business direction; it could also be a very specific type of business scenario or a functional module. From a technical perspective, a common strategy is to use the direction of business development as a guide for technical investment:

Develop technology closely aligned with the business.

This approach reduces the risk of technical investment by finding potential intersections before further building technical capabilities, avoiding the "technology in search of a problem" dilemma. Serve the current business scenarios well and plan the direction of technological evolution based on future business trends—as the saying goes, "repair the roof while the sun is shining" and "look at today from the perspective of the future."

II. Is a "Grip" an Opportunity or an Entry Point?

Sometimes, a Grip also refers to an opportunity, because intersections are not always obvious. Often, it's about timing; you might even find a more suitable intersection while on the way to another.

Other times, a Grip can be understood as an entry point. Unlike a business intersection, an entry point is more problem-oriented. It could be a type of business challenge, a user demand, or even a specific incident, an inefficient process, or a potential risk factor. Starting from a small point and gradually expanding to deeper and more scenarios, the technical challenges encountered grow larger, ultimately forming a complete technical solution that solves a broad category of business problems.

And the source of all this might just be a minor issue. Hence, there is a saying:

Problems equal opportunities.

Discovering a problem is equivalent to discovering an opportunity; prying open a crack might pull out a massive opportunity.

III. A "Grip" is the Iron Chain on a Mountain Trail!

Business development is the "Grip" for technological evolution. Business is like the iron chain held firmly in hand while climbing, and technology is like the stone steps beneath your feet:

Without a Grip, it's hard to move an inch, and even the most perfect stone steps become meaningless. With only a Grip and no stable stone steps, one still cannot reach higher and further places.

During the pioneering stage, the vanguard lays stone steps level by level while installing iron chains meter by meter. This process accompanies both business exploration and technological evolution. Every time a milestone peak is reached, you can enjoy a period of "technical dividends," allowing the vast business army to move through:

Often, there is only a faintly visible summit (business goal) at the beginning, and the route up the mountain is unclear. While paving the road, you are also exploring possible directions (business scenarios) and paths (technical capabilities). By setting various milestone peaks to regroup (pace), you can finally build a route to the summit.

Therefore, in the early stages when both business scenarios and technical capabilities are uncertain, rapid validation is more important. Polishing should not be done during the road-paving phase. If the direction is correct, there will be plenty of time to come back and fix things during regrouping:

For example, when we need a hammer but don't have one on hand, a high-heeled shoe might suffice as a substitute. But in the long run, it's not cost-effective because the shoe is much more expensive than a hammer, much less durable, and has much higher maintenance costs.

References

• Relationship between Business, Technology, and Language: Push and Pull

• What is the Relationship Between Technology and Business? Let's Talk from a Business Perspective: Technological development leading business transformation

• Architecture Chat (9): Clarifying the Relationship Between Technology, Business, and Architecture: The interesting high-heel case study