Understanding the Domino Effect

The domino effect can be a powerful tool in your life. It can help you create new behaviors, which in turn trigger a chain reaction that leads to positive changes. However, it’s important to understand the science behind this phenomenon in order to use it effectively. Here are a few things to keep in mind.

1. Domino (singular)

A small rectangular block, wood or plastic, with a number of spots or markings resembling those on dice. Usually it is twice as long as it is wide, making it easy to re-stack after each use. The surface of each side is typically printed with a line that divides it into two squares. The ends of each square contain a value, indicated by one or more dots, from six to none or blank. Each end may have a distinct color or pattern that is used for different purposes in games or as a design element. The pips of each domino are also often used as a coded numerical system, and the values on each side can be used to determine the rank or weight of a particular tile.

Dominos are commonly used to play positional games in which each player plays a domino edge to edge against another, such that the adjacent sides are identical or form some specified total. The first player to do so wins that round and sets the next piece in motion, and so on, until a domino cannot be played or all of a player’s pieces are used. The shape of the resulting chain can vary considerably, depending on the rules and the layout of the pieces.

2. Dominoes (singular)

A set of small rectangular blocks, wood or plastic, with a number

of spots or markings resembling the spots on dice. Usually it is twice as wide as it is long, making it easy to re-stack at each end after each use. The surface of each side of each domino is typically printed with a line that divides them into two squares, and the ends of each square contain a value, usually indicated by one or more dots, from six pips to none or blank. Each end of each domino may have a distinct color or pattern that can be used for different purposes in games or as recognizable design elements. Each end of a domino is also typically marked with a value, which can be used to distinguish it from other dominoes.

3. Domino’s (singular)

After a video went viral of customers complaining about the quality of Domino’s pizza, then-CEO David Brandon took action and implemented several new policies, including a relaxed dress code and leadership training program and an improved college recruiting system. When Steve Doyle became CEO in 2011, he maintained these values and emphasized the importance of listening to customers.

When Hevesh creates her mind-blowing domino installations, she follows a version of the engineering-design process. She considers the theme or purpose of her project, brainstorms images or words, and designs the layout in advance. She then tests her setup to make sure it’s ready for the big moment. Once she’s confident, she steps back and lets gravity do its work. A tiny nudge is all it takes for the first domino to fall, and then its potential energy transforms into kinetic energy, which gives the next domino a push. This energy travels from domino to domino until they all fall.