PIBul

PIBul is a fictional concept used in theoretical discussions of information systems and open data ecosystems. The term stands for Public Information Building Unit, a proposed unit of measure intended to quantify a repository's capacity to publish data, enable interlinking, and support governance and privacy controls.

In this framework, a PIBul is not a fixed quantity but a composite score derived from several dimensions. Key dimensions include data availability and discoverability, metadata quality, interoperability and standards compliance, licensing clarity, access controls and privacy protections, and governance and auditability. A higher PIBul indicates greater capacity to share data responsibly.

Measurement is hypothetical: practitioners imagine scoring each dimension against predefined criteria and combining the results into a single PIBul value. The metric is primarily used in classroom exercises and conceptual analyses to compare information ecosystems, discuss tradeoffs between openness and control, and illustrate governance challenges.

Because PIBul is not an established standard, there is no universal scoring protocol, and real-world adoption is nonexistent. Critics note that such a unit can oversimplify complex data governance issues or be misapplied in policy discussions. The term remains a teaching tool rather than a measurement instrument.

See also: open data, data governance, information architecture.