Domino is a type of gaming tile that features an arrangement of spots or “pips” on one side and is blank or identically patterned on the other. It is normally twice as long as it is wide and has a line in the middle to divide it visually into two squares, called ends. Each end has a value, indicated by the number of pips in the domino. A domino that has more pips is considered to be “heavier” than a domino with fewer pips.
Like the game of domino, the concept of a domino effect is used to describe how minor actions can lead to transformative changes in an individual’s life. For example, making your bed each morning can lead to a chain reaction that ultimately impacts how you dress and live throughout the day. A domino effect is also sometimes used in business as a way to illustrate the impact of seemingly insignificant decisions or behaviors that can have far-reaching consequences.
Hevesh, an artist who specializes in creating impressive domino installations, describes the process of building a domino sculpture as “putting pieces together, placing them in careful sequence, and then waiting for the first one to fall.” For her largest projects—some involving hundreds of thousands of dominoes—it can take several nail-biting minutes for all the pieces to tumble, as each one is triggered by the slightest nudge.
The same principle applies to a narrative, whether you are writing fiction or nonfiction. The smallest details of a scene, each domino in its own right, can create a large-scale storyline or argument that is driven by the next domino toppling over. Considering how to use the domino effect when you are plotting your novel can help you develop a more compelling structure for your work.
A key element of the domino effect is that each domino has its own inertia—or a tendency to resist motion without an outside force pushing or pulling on it. When that first domino falls, however, it can unlock the potential energy stored in all the other pieces that are lined up, causing them to fall in an order determined by their position and the sequence in which they were placed.
The same principles apply to a narrative, whether you are writing about a domino effect or illustrating the power of the Domino’s Pizza delivery network. For example, Domino’s CEO Don Meij is featured on an episode of Undercover Boss in which he goes into a Domino’s restaurant to see how employees interact with customers and how they handle the company’s various delivery services. He then makes a series of changes to improve employee satisfaction and the customer experience, including changing the company’s dress code and implementing new leadership training programs. As a result, the company has seen significant growth and has plans to have 25,000 locations worldwide by 2025.