Why the vote button took two weeks

The brief

Make a vote button that feels tactile. Like pressing a real switch on a tactical console.

Iterations

1. v1, Just a thumbs-up icon. Boring.
2. v2, Tall rectangular button. Better, but felt like a coffin lid.
3. v3, Added the count inside the button. Crowded.
4. v4, Count under the button, hazard glow on vote. Shipped.

The lesson

The count belongs to the button, but not inside it. The button is the action. The count is the consequence.

<button aria-label={`Vote for ${title}`}>
  <ArrowUp />
</button>
<div aria-live="polite">{count}</div>