> Are you talking about for grid-type array, circular-type array, or curve-type array?

Yes these three one :)
That works very simply : at any time an objet is redraw during the array function, its "scale" is increased :)
For example if "scale" is 1.2
You will obtain 1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.6 etc
if "scale" is 0.5
You will obtain 1, 0.5, 0.25, 0.125 etc
And all that for the X Y Z
So you can have an homothetic scaling if X =Y =Z or not if X <> Y <> Z :)
Is it more clear?
Of course user must make a good choice of scale :)

Very practical for natural shells for example :)
(a sphere on an arc will be a very cool snail :)

A supreme refinement will be the "line action" of the redraw of object (gravity center, corner, side, ...)

< for grid scale this isn't very clear, since grid scale doesn't just copy an object along one single path, it can go in the x, y, and z directions
It's sure than some objects will be intersected :D

So only on the "Curve array" will be terrific
With only that : it's just one parameter to add :)

< Is uniform scale enough or does it need separate scales in x/y/z ...
Seems Uniform is suffisant, Separate will be a refinement :)
but we have also a proverb "Qui peut le plus, peu le moins"
Who can more, can less :)
And you have that in the normal Scaling function :)

< would get progressively moved closer to the curve on every scaling, instead of it scaling "in place"
Object "snaped on a curve" is the more easy to understand for this sort of manipulations

All that was a suggestion wait if some people are also interested of that :)

Take your time :)
Seems a cool method
Relax : we have some ideas for helix for the moment in another thread :D