A system and method for minimizing a total physical size of data buffers for executing an artificial neural network (ANN) on an integrated circuit includes implementing a buffer-sizing simulation based on sourcing a task graph of the ANN, wherein: (i) the task graph includes a plurality of distinct data buffers, wherein each of the plurality of distinct data buffers is assigned to at least one write operation and at least one read operation; (ii) the buffer-sizing simulation, when executed, computes an estimated physical size for each of a plurality of distinct data buffers for implementing the artificial neural network on a mixed-signal integrated circuit; and (iii) configuring the buffer-sizing simulation includes setting simulation parameters that include buffer-size minimization parameters and buffer data throughput optimization parameters; and generating an estimate of a physical size for each of the plurality of distinct data buffers based on the implementation of the buffer-sizing simulation.