Domino is a game where small actions lead to much bigger consequences. When a domino is tipped over it causes the next one to fall, and then the next, and so on. It’s a simple but mesmerizing effect, and it’s also very common in our daily lives. We have lots of examples of the domino effect – things that seem small and insignificant but have a huge impact.

Whether you’re a plotter who uses an outline program like Scrivener or a “pantser,” a writer who writes without any plan, you likely know the feeling of having your scenes come together in a way that makes it impossible to stop them. It’s as if your character has a “domino action” that just has to be tipped over and the rest of the scene will fall into place. These are high leverage actions that have a large impact – in the domino game, these are called a “slide.” In fiction, they’re known as a domino effect, and they can be very effective at adding drama to your scenes.

As a child, Lily Hevesh loved playing with her grandparents’ classic 28-piece set of dominoes. She was fascinated by the way one move caused a line of dominoes to fall, one after the other. Even now, she enjoys creating mind-blowing domino art – straight lines, curved lines, grids that form pictures when they fall, stacked walls and 3D structures such as towers and pyramids. Her goal is to make something that will be beautiful and inspiring. To accomplish this, she follows a version of the engineering-design process. She starts by considering the theme or purpose of a design. Then, she brainstorms images or words that might represent those ideas. Next, she tests each section of a display to make sure it works as she envisions. Hevesh even films these tests so she can see the results clearly and make precise corrections if necessary.

When a section is perfect, Hevesh then puts it all together. She begins with the biggest 3-D sections first, then adds flat arrangements and finally lines of dominoes that connect all the segments. She often tries each part of her installation in slow motion to check it for accuracy. This attention to detail is important for her work, as she doesn’t want her creations to fail in the end.

This same approach is critical in the classroom. When students start compensating for learning challenges, they can quickly build up an overwhelming amount of skills and risk the loss of what they actually need to succeed. Fortunately, there are strategies teachers can use to help them break this cycle, such as introducing new skills slowly and allowing time for the student to practice each one before moving on to the next.

One of the core values at Domino’s is “Champion Our Customers.” As such, this business pays close attention to customer complaints, especially about their food. They aren’t afraid to make changes in their stores if it’s clear that customers are unhappy, and they have a strong commitment to making their restaurants a positive part of the community.