Patent A patent is a government grant that allows the owner to exclude others from making, using, selling and /or importing goods or services that incorporate the idea(s) covered by the patent. Patents protect new, not obvious, and useful ideas, which are commonly called inventions; patents cover the core of the ideas themselves. See also Intellectual Property. Potentia A test for would-be employees of Accenture’s strategy function that tests their thought processes. Procurement The money a company spends on equipment, furniture and stationery that may be business-related—mining equipment—or that is not related to business function—pens, pencils, desks. Accenture is active in this space. See Accenture Procurement BPO Services. Products Products is one of Accenture five distinct operating groups, each of which addresses a particular industry sector. This group helps international clients in automotive, pharmaceutical, retail, consumer goods and travel services to become market leaders. See Industry Groups. Professional Development Program (PDP) Provides a flexible way of developing consulting and client management skills. Program Control Services (PCS) A specialist group of resources based in the Accenture Delivery Center in the United Kingdom that helps manage and control some of Accenture’s largest blue-chip projects. The PCS team provides specialist skills in the set-up, running and continuous improvement of Program Management Offices. It uses processes that conform to the Prince 2 Methodology and the Capability Maturity Model Integration standard. Public Service Public Service is one of Accenture's five distinct operating groups, each of which addresses a particular industry sector. The Public Service operating group helps public sector organizations across the world achieve high performance in the face of complex challenges. Its innovative solutions enable Public Service and educational organizations to deliver improved services while controlling costs. See Industry Groups.