The optimization of geodetic measurements is described in this paper. It is a part of the geodetic survey design procedure and gives the answers to important questions, which we would normally deal with at the end, when analysing the quality of the results obtained. The basic criteria for optimization of geodetic measurements are described, such as accurracy, reliability and costs of the geodetic survey, according to which the optimisation is performed. At the end three examples of the second order design ofgeodetic measurements are presented.