A domino is a flat, thumb-sized rectangular block of wood, ivory or other material that has one or more groups of spots on each side. Each spot is called a pip or a dot. The most common set of dominoes contains 28 pieces, although there are many different types of dominoes. A domino may be used for various games, most of which involve matching the ends of two dominoes together to form a line or angular pattern.
The word domino is also often used to describe a series of events that have larger–and sometimes catastrophic–consequences. For example, if a person knocks over a small domino sitting on top of another smaller one, the first domino may then fall and knock over several more to create an avalanche effect that is difficult or impossible to stop. This concept is the basis of the popular saying, “the domino effect.”
Whether you use it to build an elaborate display or play a game with friends and family, you’re likely familiar with the simple pleasure of playing with a domino set. You’ve probably seen someone create some of the amazing designs that can be made by arranging dominoes in long, straight lines. You may have even played some of the dozens of games that can be played with them, such as a basic version of poker where you place dominoes on the edge of a table and try to get them all to fall over in a straight line.
Domino is also the name of a company that makes an end-to-end data science platform that provides an integrated experience from coding to modeling and deployment in hybrid multicloud environments. Its ability to link to a version control system like bitbucket and spin up interactive workspaces of various sizes allows teams to work cohesively. And the integration with models and apps makes it easy for them to quickly prototype and scale up their models in production.
As a literary device, the domino effect is an effective tool for creating suspense and tension in a story. It helps to answer a question that all readers will want to know: What happens next? Plotting a novel can be a complex process, but the domino effect can make the task easier by forcing you to consider how each new action will affect the story.
Domino’s founder Tom Monaghan started his business in 1967 with a single store in Ypsilanti, Michigan. From the beginning, he emphasized a focus on listening to customers and providing them with fast service. This was a key strategy that helped him grow his company, which now has more than 200 locations nationwide. The company’s success is largely due to its emphasis on putting its pizza restaurants near college campuses, where it attracts students who are eager to grab a quick bite before heading back to class. The company also stresses the importance of valuing employees and rewarding them for their hard work, which has earned it multiple Top Workplace awards from the Detroit Free Press.