A method for optimally designing an irrigation system and managing/ operating the designed irrigation system in real time comprising: receiving data associated with a proposed irrigation design； analysing the proposed design comprising one or more proposed measurements and automation requirements； retrieving one or more pre-established estimation rules from a data store and mapping them with the proposed design； estimating additional measurement and automation requirements based on one or more such estimation rules； adjusting one or more estimation rules based on real data associated with operation of a previous/current irrigation system； estimating one or more of acquisition, installation and operating costs based on one or more of: hardware costs； radio network propagation characteristics (optionally of terrain, crop, etc)； other factors that have historically contributed to ownership cost； displaying to a user one or more of such estimated costs； calculating one or more alternative designs and displaying the associated information.
