🔗 Correlation & Realism · Days 13–18
Day 17: Workload Mix
Objective
Combine multiple user journeys at realistic ratios (e.g., 70/20/10).
Scenario
Create three transaction groups: browse (70%), search (20%), checkout (10%). Run them concurrently in one scenario. Watch per-transaction metrics.
Metrics to Watch
When It Clicks
Blended load exposes contention that single flows never trigger.
Solution
In JMeter: create three Thread Groups with user counts proportional to your mix (e.g. 70, 20, 10 users if running 100 total). Wrap each flow in a Transaction Controller so the Aggregate Report shows per-journey metrics. Alternatively use a single Thread Group with a Random Controller or Throughput Controller to route iterations by ratio. In k6: define separate scenarios with `weight` in the executor config, or use `exec` to call different functions. Check per-transaction p95 in the results - write-heavy transactions (checkout) almost always suffer first under blended load.
Reflection
Which transaction type suffered most under the blended load? Why?
Deliverable
A mixed-workload script with weighted transaction groups.
⚠️ Never run load tests against infrastructure you do not own or have explicit written permission to test. Always use a dedicated test environment. Unauthorized load injection can cause outages, trigger legal liability, and violate terms of service.