Domino is a small, rectangular block that is used for playing games or as decorative art. They are typically made of wood or another rigid material. They can be stacked end to end in long lines. When one domino is tipped over, it causes the next to tip and so on. These can be simple lines or very elaborate designs that create a cascade of dominoes and sometimes even 3D structures like towers and pyramids. The most common sets of dominoes include 28 tiles, though larger ones are available for more complex games. The dominoes have markings that are called pips and can range from six pips to none or blank. A set of dominoes may be grouped into suits that represent different numbers. Each suit also has a color, so that players can distinguish their tiles.
When Lily Hevesh started collecting dominoes as a child, she had the classic 28-piece set that most of us know and love. As she grew older, her passion for dominoes grew into a career as a professional domino artist. She now creates mind-blowing domino art for movies, TV shows, and events—including an album launch for Katy Perry. Hevesh has more than 2 million YouTube subscribers who watch her create these intricate and beautiful sets. Hevesh has a unique approach to domino design that is both artistic and scientific. She follows a version of the engineering-design process, starting with considering a theme or purpose for an installation. Then she brainstorms images or words that might fit the concept. Finally, she creates a blueprint to guide the creation of the domino art.
One of the reasons dominoes are so fascinating is because they are an example of a chain reaction. The first domino only requires a slight push to topple, but that one domino triggers a series of events that can eventually lead to much greater–and sometimes catastrophic–consequences. This idea is often called the domino effect.
When a domino falls, much of its potential energy converts to kinetic energy, the energy of motion. Some of that energy is transmitted to the next domino, providing the push that causes it to fall as well. This continues through the entire line of dominoes, until the last one falls.
Dominoes are a great way to learn the principles of gravity and energy transfer, but they can also teach us a lot about leadership and teamwork. Domino’s struggle in the early 2000s was due to a lack of strong leadership and misguided changes in the company culture. When Brandon Doyle became CEO, he focused on reinvigorating the company’s culture and emphasizing its core values. He also emphasized the importance of listening to customers, which helped to restore customer satisfaction and loyalty. This helped Domino’s recover and become a top workplace again.