How to organize assignments?

Expect this topic to come up and therefore starting this discussion. Here are my thoughts...

1. If the assignments are short and not expected to require special knowledge or skills then the best way is to perhaps create a new project and have the assignments as tasks / issues. Students can join the project group and pick up the issues assigned to them and come back with submission.
2. If the assignments are involved i.e require knowledge of specific technologies or skill that are not excepted to be common place, it may be worthwhile to start or link to suitable courseware project and have them as assignments for the course. This would help students with a structured learning module (self learning or taken up by an institutes faculty) and then attack the assignments

Welcome comments , suggestions....