Domino is a small rectangular block of wood or plastic used as a gaming object. It has a blank or identically patterned face and a numbered, raised dot pattern on one side called “pips.” The pips are similar to those on dice. A domino can be connected to another domino in a line or at right angles, forming rows and columns. When a domino is pushed, it triggers the action of its neighboring tiles, which may be set up to fall or simply slide across each other. The process of triggering these actions is known as dominoing.
The game of domino is often played with the help of a printed rulebook, which lists all the possible combinations of pips on the dominoes and what actions can be performed. Several variations of the rules exist, and different players may use different scoring systems. Regardless of the exact rules, most games involve placing a series of dominoes end to end or at right angles to each other. Each domino must touch the exposed ends of the adjacent tiles—one’s touching two’s, three’s touching four’s, and so on—and the resulting total is recorded on a score sheet.
The term domino is also used figuratively, as in “a domino effect,” meaning that the initial actions of a person or group can affect many other people or things. It is also used to describe a process that begins slowly but has a large impact, such as when an earthquake causes other structures to collapse, or when a terrorist attack prompts citizens to evacuate their homes.
In the business world, domino is a metaphor for a project that requires lots of planning and attention to detail, but has a powerful impact once it gets started. A good project manager knows how to pick the right dominoes and place them in a sequence that ensures success.
One of the biggest challenges for Domino’s is its labor shortage, which has led to a loss in sales and an inability to provide timely delivery service. The company is trying to address the issue by increasing hiring and offering more incentives to drivers. Despite these efforts, the labor shortage is having a negative effect on the company’s growth and profitability.
In the past, domino sets were often made of bone, silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell (mother of pearl), ivory, or a dark hardwood such as ebony, with contrasting black or white pips. These sets had a more novel look and feel than the polymer-based dominoes now available. More recently, dominoes have been made of a variety of other materials, including marble, granite, soapstone, and stone-like ceramic clay. These sets have a more natural look and are often heavier than the polymer-based ones, making them feel more substantial in hand. These sets are generally more expensive than those of traditional polymer material. In addition, they are difficult to damage, unlike their plastic counterparts.
