Create multiple versions of your UCML load model
When I'm creating initial load models for an application, I find that I create multiple versions of UCML. The first draft is often quite large. It often has several branches per user. If I were to create it, I might have 25 to 75 scenarios. I use this first model as a discussion tool. What I'm interested in here is if I've accurately captured what users and and can't do, and roughly how often they do it.
Then, once I feel I've got that well understood, I create a consolidated model that I'll actually use to create and calibrate test scripts for. Where I might have previously had 50 of scenarios, here I'm going down to 10 (or even under 10 if I feel I can do that without affecting the validity of the testing). I'm looking for the simplest combination of scripts/scenarios that will give me the load profile I'm looking for.
The reason I take this approach is because I've never been on a project where I've had the time or resources to create all the scenarios. And even if I did, it would likely be a waste. But later in the project, when we find an issue and someone asks why I'm running my simplified load model (which will only look loosely like the original), I'll have something that shows what we started with and how that maps to what we're currently running. It reduces confusion around why we're running the model we're running.
Then, once I feel I've got that well understood, I create a consolidated model that I'll actually use to create and calibrate test scripts for. Where I might have previously had 50 of scenarios, here I'm going down to 10 (or even under 10 if I feel I can do that without affecting the validity of the testing). I'm looking for the simplest combination of scripts/scenarios that will give me the load profile I'm looking for.
The reason I take this approach is because I've never been on a project where I've had the time or resources to create all the scenarios. And even if I did, it would likely be a waste. But later in the project, when we find an issue and someone asks why I'm running my simplified load model (which will only look loosely like the original), I'll have something that shows what we started with and how that maps to what we're currently running. It reduces confusion around why we're running the model we're running.