A method and system for inspecting an object is provided. The system includes a measurement device that measures 3D coordinates of points on a surface of the object. A display is coupled to the device and is sized to be carried by an operator. One or more processors cooperate with the measurement device, to perform a method comprising: determining 3D coordinates of the points while the object is being measured; aligning an electronic model of the object to the points while the object is being measured; determining a variance between the electronic model and the points while the object is being measured; and displaying on the display an indicator when the variance exceeds a threshold while the object is being measured.