The strategies for designing group activities can be divided into teacher-centered, learner-centered, and content-centered approaches. The teacher-centered approach focuses on the instructor's preferences that mold the way they teach with group activities; the learner-centered approach focuses on the student's preferences concerning their social needs, learning styles, motivation, and prerequisite knowledge required to successfully engage in group activities; and the content-centered approach focuses on predetermined course objectives that influence group activities. Combining all three approaches encourages sound instructional design and improves the design of web-based group activities.

The GAP guide employs strategies for developing group activities with various WebCT tools. The activities are determined from a form filled out by the instructor that covers the instructor, learner, and content approaches. The reflective process allows the instructor to look over each section of the GAP guide and determine the design and delivery of the group activity.

The GAP process encourages formative evaluation methods that help modify and update the group activity prior to delivery. As you design the activity, the reflective questions act as a formative evaluation instrument. The guide also includes a series of summative evaluation instruments for evaluating teacher, learner, and content. Both summative and formative evaluation methods provide an instructor with clear guidelines for improving and implementing the group activity.