Larcenous Designs

Speaking personally group projects can be fun if they're administered correctly. That said, no student should ever be beholden for the inability, incompetence, etc. of their group mates, especially since they have no power to choose their groups. If given such power, those with fewer friends in the class will be left holding the bag. A student must be graded on only that which they have the power to control. At the most basic level they can't compel their group mates to action, which often leaves the group stranded by one slacker. I've been in that situation many times, it's no fun. Individual grades are better as offered as part of a group schematic. Give each student a piece and grade them only for their piece. Provide for cooperation by making teamwork a part of each student's piece. In this way, if they do all they can to make the project work including trying to get their slacker group mate(s) motivated, they are still deserving of an A.