What term describes a factor believed to be true but not confirmed?

The term that describes a factor believed to be true but not confirmed is "assumption." In the context of business analysis and elicitation, an assumption is something that is accepted as true for the purposes of planning or decision-making without having verified it through evidence or data. Assumptions allow teams to proceed with projects or analyses, even in the absence of complete information, serving as a basis for further inquiry and exploration.

In contrast, a hypothesis is typically a more specific, testable statement proposed within scientific research that seeks to establish a relationship between variables. A fact refers to information that can be verified and confirmed as true, while a theory is a substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world that is based on a body of evidence. So, the context here clearly highlights how assumptions function as placeholders in the absence of verification, which aligns perfectly with the definition provided.