(This question was asked of me in a private email)
The draft says that strategic work is "New work and resources or goals aligned to a strategy." But is it possible for existing work to also be strategic, if it serves a strategic goal?
I think this hints at ambiguity in the core definition, when it says "maintain essential services". Firstly, what is "essential"? Secondly, what is "maintain"?
Yes I believe existing work could be considered strategic and we should expand on that in the definition.
IMO existing work can be Strategic, but when it becomes ongoing – a fairly permanent thing, with no desirable end point – then it transitions to Core. For example, five years ago, creating the visual editor was obviously a strategic goal. But five years from now, it ought to be part of core.