Network of practice (often abbreviated as NoP) is a concept originated by John Seely Brown and Paul Duguid.
To further define the concept, firstly the term network implies a set of individuals who are connected through social relationships, whether they be strong or weak.
In contrast to the use of formal controls to support knowledge exchange often used in formal workgroups, such as contractual obligation, organizational hierarchies, monetary incentives, or mandated rules, networks of practice promote knowledge flows along lines of practice through informal social networks.
In formal workgroups and virtual teams, participation is jointly determined and members are expected to achieve a specific work goal.
In electronic networks of practice, participation is individually determined; knowledge seekers have no control over who responds to their questions or the quality of the responses.