Dominoes are small oblong pieces with a number of dots on each end (also called pip marks). They’re used to play the game of dominoes, in which players lay down one piece at a time to form a line. Each player tries to find a piece with a value that matches that of the pieces at either end of the line already laid down. If there are no matching pieces, the next player begins. Eventually, the whole line of pieces is played.

In teaching, the concept of domino is often used to illustrate the impact that one task can have on another. Just as a single domino can cause other dominoes to fall, compensating for a learning challenge can impact a student’s ability to learn the basic skills that will lead to success.

The term is also used to describe a sequence of events that affect one another in a predictable way. For example, if a student does not do his homework, it can impact his test scores, which in turn can influence his grade point average, which will ultimately affect his future career prospects.

Traditionally, domino sets have been made from a combination of bone, silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell (mother of pearl), ivory and dark hardwoods such as ebony. They are usually twice as long as they are wide and feature a line in the middle to visually divide them into two parts, with one side featuring black or white pips (inlaid or painted). In the past, sets have been made from many other natural materials such as stone (e.g., marble or granite); other woods such as oak, ash and redwood; metals including brass, copper and pewter; frosted glass; ceramic clay; and, in more recent times, polymer materials like melamine and MDF.

As technology becomes more and more integrated into daily life, Domino’s has incorporated many new ways for customers to order pizzas, such as by using a smartphone app or texting an emoji. It also is experimenting with autonomous delivery robots and even drones that can drop off orders in the neighborhood.

The company’s success has been attributed to its focus on customer satisfaction. Former CEO David Brandon encouraged employees to listen to customers and make sure they were doing everything possible to meet their needs, while former Chief Financial Officer Mark Doyle focused on improving profits by lowering costs and streamlining the business. For example, Domino’s has been moving to smaller stores with shorter hours and has shifted its advertising budget from radio to television and online to cut costs. It has also invested heavily in training and employee development. It also uses analytics to ensure its locations are attracting enough customers and generating enough revenue. This has allowed it to open more than 100 new stores in the United States and Canada since 2014. In addition, Domino’s employs a large percentage of people in the area of software analytics and is at the forefront of developing innovative new technologies for its restaurants.