Domino is a game played with small rectangular blocks of wood or other material. Each domino has two ends, each bearing from one to six pips or dots. The most common domino set has 28 unique pieces. Each time a domino is placed, its matching end touches the end of another domino, and the sequence continues until all dominoes have been lined up in a line or angular pattern. There are many different games that can be played with these pieces, but the most common involves placing a domino edge to edge against another domino in order to form a specified total or a line. Dominoes are also used for positional games and for laying down tiles in lines or angular patterns.
The most popular domino game, Twenty-One, requires the players to make certain combinations of numbers by arranging all of the dominoes in a line or an overlapping pattern. The combination is then scored by whoever first scores a row of dominoes in the correct layout and direction. In addition to requiring precise placement of the dominoes, each player must carefully monitor their own score and that of the other players in their group. The strategy is complicated by the fact that a single domino can affect other players’ scores by virtue of the direction it travels and the way in which it hits other dominoes.
A domino’s ability to affect the score of other players is a key element of the game, and it provides an important analogy for how we should approach our daily lives. The idea is that by changing one behavior, the change can trigger a chain reaction that shifts other behaviors, and those changes can have positive side effects. A classic example of this principle was demonstrated in a study by researchers at Northwestern University. When people decreased their amount of sedentary leisure time, they automatically reduced their daily fat intake. The change in diet was the catalyst for a series of dominoes that led to more healthy eating habits and a healthier lifestyle.
In business, a similar phenomenon is often seen in the way that one positive action can cause a chain reaction that benefits other activities. The concept is known as the Domino Effect, and it has been used to describe everything from how a single domino can knock over other smaller ones to how a person’s actions can have far-reaching effects on their community.
Domino’s Pizza founder Dave Brandon was a firm believer in the Domino Effect. After years of declining sales, he turned around the company by listening to customers and taking note of their complaints. He relaxed the dress code, introduced new leadership training programs, and started recruiting on college campuses. When Dominic Doyle became CEO of Domino’s, he continued this line of communication with employees and promoted the value of listening to customer feedback.
Hevesh makes a point of testing each section before she begins putting the entire installation together. This ensures that each section will function properly, and it also helps her to identify any potential issues as quickly as possible.