Domino, a game that involves placing tiles edge to edge on a surface and then causing them to fall over, is popular around the world. There are many types of domino games, from the standard block and draw game to positional games like poker. But even in a non-playing setting, the idea of domino effects is widely used to refer to a series of events that stem from one small trigger.
A nudge is all it takes to start a domino effect. That’s why Hevesh starts her large projects by creating several test versions of the same arrangement before moving on to the final version. Each of her tests is filmed in slow motion, which allows Hevesh to pinpoint problems and make adjustments.
But when she does move on to the final project, Hevesh lets physics do its thing. She has a lot of faith in the laws of physics, especially one in particular: gravity. When a domino is knocked over, it falls toward the ground with immense force. That force, which is equal to the weight of the domino, pushes the next domino over and creates a chain reaction.
Likewise, Hevesh has a lot of faith in the law of human nature. “People just want to help each other,” she says. This sentiment is why her team of domino artists has worked on projects for movies, TV shows, and celebrities—including a record-breaking circular domino setup that required 300,000 dominoes. But before Hevesh can get to work on these projects, her team has to do a lot of planning.
As a result of these planning sessions, Hevesh has discovered some crucial secrets about domino: the fact that each tile has a different amount of energy stored in it. Each domino has a point of inertia, which is its tendency to remain motionless when there’s no outside pressure. But when a domino is knocked over, that inertia disappears and the potential energy of all those tiles becomes available to push on the next domino.
Hevesh says she also uses a number of other techniques to make her installations go as smoothly as possible. For example, she sets up the largest 3-D sections first. Then she adds flat arrangements to connect the sections together. She’ll even use a computer program to plan and predict how each piece will fit together before she builds it on the floor.
Then, of course, there’s the power of collaboration. When you’re working with a group, every member brings something to the table—whether it be an idea for a plotline or just their own unique perspective on a scene. And when all of that comes together, you can build some pretty incredible stuff.
Domino’s strategy of listening to employees and then putting those ideas into action is one that’s paying off. The company has made significant changes since its rocky beginnings, including implementing a new leadership training program and college recruiting system. These are just a few examples of how Domino’s is staying true to its core values—and, in turn, helping employees feel more confident about their own future at the company.