Regelunits

Regelunits are a hypothetical, dimensionless index used in the Regel framework to quantify the burden and effectiveness of rule-based systems. A regelunit (RU) is defined as the average of two subcomponents: Rule Saturation (RS) and Rule Efficacy (RE). RS measures how broadly a rule set touches different domains, scaled 0 to 1; RE measures how well the rules achieve their stated objectives, also 0 to 1. The regelunit is computed as RU = (RS + RE)/2, and is normalized so that RU=0 represents no regulatory intervention and RU=1 represents a high but efficient regulatory regime. In practice, RU values are used to compare policy designs, drive simulations, and communicate burden estimates to stakeholders.

In empirical work, RS and RE are estimated from expert surveys, program data, and outcome indicators. Some studies propose variants weighting RS and RE differently for sector-specific analyses. Regelunits are not SI units; they have no physical dimensions, and conversions to physical units are not defined. They are intended as a qualitative-to-quantitative tool in policy analysis and systems design.

History: The concept emerged in the Regel Institute's publications in the early 2050s as a compact way to discuss regulatory burden across domains. They have since been used in academic and policy-oriented modeling alongside other indices such as burden scores and cost-of-compliance metrics.

See also: regulatory impact assessment, policy modeling, index number.