Domino is a game that is played by laying down dominoes on a flat surface and then placing another domino on top of it, pushing it onto the one beneath it until it falls. Each domino is marked with a number of spots or pips that indicate its identity. The pips are usually color-coded, with one side of the domino bearing the pips and the other blank or identically patterned. Traditionally, European-style dominoes are made of ivory, silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell (mother of pearl), bone, or dark hardwood such as ebony with contrasting black or white pips inlaid or painted on the upper half. In the United States, molded polymer sets are more common, though wood, marble, and granite sets exist as well.
Dominoes are often used as a learning tool, and some of the most popular educational activities include domino races, domino chains, and building towers with domino blocks. These activities teach children about counting, physics, geometry, and problem solving, while also helping them develop motor skills and hand-eye coordination. They also promote social interaction and cooperation, which is an important part of childhood development.
In fiction, domino effect is often used to describe a series of events that occur as a result of a character’s actions or decisions. In this way, a novelist can use the domino effect to create a sequence of scenes that progresses logically from one to the next. This can help readers understand the logic behind a character’s behavior and make it more relatable.
For example, if a character takes a risk or does something that goes against societal norms, then the author must provide the reason why this character is doing what he is doing. This reason will help the reader to accept the immoral action and continue to like the character.
If a character has an ulterior motive or is doing what he does for money, then the author must also make this clear. Otherwise, the character may seem erratic and not a good hero to follow.
In a business setting, the domino effect is used by managers to solve issues and achieve goals. It is also an important element in leadership training. For example, in an episode of Undercover Boss, Domino’s CEO Don Meij goes undercover as a delivery driver to analyze how employees handle customer service and to see what they could be doing differently. This helped him identify the main complaints that Domino’s customers had and how to address them. The result was that Domino’s improved its customer service and increased profits.