A domino is a small rectangular game piece that has anywhere from zero to six dots on each end. It is normally a bit longer than it is wide, so that it can be stacked on top of another domino to form an elaborate pattern. When the first domino is knocked down, it initiates a chain reaction that causes hundreds and even thousands of other pieces to fall over. Dominoes are used to play the game dominoes and for other purposes, including creating impressive visual displays that look quite spectacular when they’re set up and then knocked down. This use of dominoes has inspired the concept of the Domino Effect, which says that one change will trigger a series of other changes, like a pebble dropped in water will cause ripples that can travel miles.

The term domino is also used for any series of actions that lead to a desired outcome, such as setting up an effective plan or following through on a promise. For example, when Jennifer Dukes Lee started making her bed four days in a row, she began to take care of other tasks around the house as well, such as folding shirts in the closet and cleaning off a messy desk. She wasn’t told to change these behaviors, but the domino effect kicked in.

For Domino’s Pizza CEO Steve Doyle, the idea of the Domino Effect is as much about brand image as it is about delivering hot pizza to customers in the fastest possible time. He has pushed for Domino’s to use more organic ingredients and to make its delivery trucks as cool-looking as possible, such as by teaming up with crowd-sourced auto designers on the DXP model, which the magazine called a “domino-lovers Batmobile.” These efforts have helped to change the perception of Domino’s from that of an old-fashioned pizza chain into a company with an eye for style.

When creating a domino setup, Hevesh starts with the overall theme or purpose of the project. She then brainstorms images or words that might relate to the theme. She then draws out a general layout of what she’s trying to accomplish, and then tests each individual section to ensure that it works properly. Once each section is ready to be put into place, Hevesh creates lines of dominoes that connect the different sections together.

The final result is often more than just a line of dominoes, as Hevesh has created stunning 3-D arrangements, which are then used to set up movies, television shows and events. She’s even created an elaborate domino display to celebrate the launch of a new album from pop singer Katy Perry. Hevesh’s domino creations have drawn a huge audience on YouTube, where she has more than 2 million subscribers. Despite the massive popularity of her YouTube videos, Hevesh continues to work as an engineer full-time, designing software for the manufacturing industry. She says she loves her job because it allows her to work with her hands and use her problem-solving skills.